Abstract: An exhaust system for a spark ignition engine on an automotive vehicle including an exhaust filter disposed downstream of a spark ignition engine for condensing hydrocarbons in exhaust gases from the engine during a first time period after start of the engine, a bypass structure for bypassing at least a portion of exhaust gases around the exhaust filter to heat the exhaust filter during a second time period after the first time period and evaporate the condensed hydrocarbons, and a catalytic converter disposed downstream of the exhaust filter to oxidize the evaporated hydrocarbons and reduce NO.sub.x in exhaust gases passing therethrough. A method is also provided.

Abstract: A system for controlling engagement of forward drive and reverse drive when a gear selector lever is moved from park or neutral position and for adapting the control on the basis of the slip across the oncoming friction element includes an automatic transmission, gearing friction elements that control the gearing, a valve body containing shift valve solenoids for operating the shift valves and control algorithms executed by a microprocessor, a gear selector lever, a throttle position sensor, shaft speed sensors, and transmission input and output shafts. The clutch pressure increases linearly under the control of a closed-loop system. A control algorithm senses when the closed-loop control is operative and automatically changes the period during which clutch pressure is maintained at a high magnitude prior to engagement so that the resulting gear change is smooth and occurs at maximum speed.

Abstract: An electronic controller for automatically adjusting the position of a throttle valve in either a single valve or a series valve throttle mechanism. A primary controller (20) produces an output signal (18) suitable for directly operating the single throttle valve in a "drive by wire" throttle system. When used to position a valve (32) in a two-valve series throttle system, the other valve (34) being directly controlled by the accelerator pedal, a signal translation unit (30) is employed to modify the output signal (18) from the primary controller in response to the current setting of the accelerator-controlled valve (34) and values indicating the current air flow rate (Q.sub.1) and the intake manifold pressure (P.sub.m). The primary controller (20) and the signal translation unit are implemented using a conventional electronic engine control processor, with the signal translation being performed by table lookup operations (51-54).

Abstract: A diagnostic strategy for an automatic transmission having electronic shift control solenoids for controlling application and release of clutches and brakes during the establishment and disestablishment of torque ratios in multiple-ratio gearing for the transmission wherein provision is made for developing diagnostic data that detects failure modes due to a faulty shift solenoid by using predetermined failure modes stored in the RAM portion of a microprocessor and comparing those known failure modes to the actual performance of the shift solenoids.

Abstract: A powertrain controller controls the burned gas recycling rate of an engine as a function of a desired burned gas recycling rate and an actual burned gas recycling rate. The powertrain controller generates a tractive effort request value which is indicative of a force desired by the driver at the wheels of the vehicle. An engine load request value is generated as a function of the tractive effort request value and vehicle speed and is used, along with an actual load value, which is indicative of actual engine load, to generate the desired burned gas recycling rate. The tractive effort request value and other vehicle powertrain control variables are generated according to an optimization process. The burned gas recycling system of the engine may take the form of a Delta Pressure Feedback (DPFE) Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system or a variable position camshaft system.

Abstract: An apparatus for attenuating noise produced by fluid pressure pulsations in a hydraulic system in an automotive vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus includes a muffler device comprising a generally elongate tubular member having a predetermined number of attenuating zones therein, each zone having a cross-sectional area of different size than the cross-sectional area of the tubular member. The attenuating zones are spaced at unequal lengths from one another to achieve maximized noise reduction benefits.

Abstract: A sepreable low profile connector for a transmission includes a first elongated receptacle aligned with a central axis. The first receptacle has a flange portion, a first cylindrical portion and a first terminal housing portion. The first cylindrical portion and the first terminal housing portion are sized to be received within the bore, whereas the flange portion is sized larger than the bore. The first cylindrical portion is adjacent the flange and has a diameter smaller than the bore. The first receptacle has longitudinal openings extending through the flange portion, the first cylindrical portion and the first terminal housing portion. Electrically conductive terminals are located within the longitudinal openings in the first terminal housing portion and are juxtaposed to the inner wall of the bore. At least one seal is located on the cylindrical portion adjacent the bore. A second receptacle has a second cylindrical portion, and a second terminal portion.

Abstract: A rotor assembly for an electrical machine includes two pole pieces with intermeshing pole fingers. Disposed between the pole pieces is a silencer assembly with silencer portions at least partially filling the gaps between adjacent pairs of intermeshed pole fingers. The silencer portions have projections which cooperate with lateral surfaces of the pole fingers to limit outward radial movement of the silencer portions.

Abstract: A contamination-resistant, temperature-sensing device for sensing the extent of conductive heat flow from a metal surface in a method and system are disclosed. A heat transfer member is mounted to one end of a thermally insulative tube. The heat transfer member has two oppositely facing surfaces, one of which engages the metal surface to receive conductive heat flow therefrom, the other of which radiates transferred heat through the tube. A sensor is mounted to the other end of the tube to detect the extent of heat radiated through the tube and hence the extent of conductive heat flow from the metal surface. The sensing device also includes a housing surrounding the tube and the sensor. In addition, the sensing device includes a variable rate coil spring to allow the heat transfer member to bear against the metal surface at a constant contact force.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a process for providing a hard, transparent, hydrophobic film of hydrogenated boron nitride on a substrate and the film so made. The process comprises depositing the film condensation from a flux of ions generated from gaseous precursors comprising borazine, the kinetic energy of the ions being between 50 and 300 electron volts per ion. Preferably the process is plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition carried out in a radio frequency plasma system.

Abstract: A phase change mechanism is described for varying the phase of an engine camshaft relative the engine crankshaft.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a wiper for a vehicle window on a lift gate. The control system and method include an ignition switch (12), lift gate position switch (14), window position switch (16), washer switch (18) and wiper switch (20) for generating (42) multiple input signals. The control system and method also include a microprocessor (24) for processing (44) the input signals to determine wiper operations, and an output driver (26) for generating (46) an output signal to control the wiper in response to the wiper operations determined.

Abstract: An electronic driveline controller and traction control method for an engine driven vehicle wherein the tractive effort of the driving wheels is controlled to avoid excess slip of the traction wheels relative to the vehicle road surface, the traction control being achieved by total powertrain torque management whereby the torque delivered to the driving wheels is a control parameter that depends upon the magnitude of sensed operating variables for the vehicle driveline.

Abstract: Load leveling height control is provided for a vehicle by replacing a conventional scheduled vehicle height with a load leveling height which is sensed upon detection of the opening of at least one compartment of the vehicle. Load leveling height control raises and lowers the vehicle to maintain the load leveling height. While either a passenger compartment or a cargo compartment can be monitored, preferably both are monitored to protect the vehicle from potential damage both below and above the vehicle due to changes in vehicle height as a vehicle is loaded and/or unloaded. Any currently active leveling activity is aborted such that a load leveling height or open compartment height can be read and maintained as long as a compartment remains open or until vehicle speed reaches a predefined speed, for example 16 kilometers per hour (10 miles per hour), at which time the conventional scheduled vehicle height is once again utilized.

Abstract: An active suspension system uses a closed-loop feedback controller to with tunable feedback gains to produce a control signal which minimizes a cost function formed by the weighted sum of system outputs including body acceleration and wheel displacement error. The feedback gains are adaptively varied by incremental amounts which are calculated based on the "pseudo-sensitivities" of those gains to system outputs, the pseudo-sensitivities being generated by a fixed-gain model of the suspension system and being combined using weighting factors which insure convergence in accordance with the predetermined cost function. The adaptive control provides long-term compensation for varying road conditions, variations from vehicle-to-vehicle, and changes in vehicle performance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed in which a transformer which has at least one DC output and one input, and a precision timer which generates a control signal having a frequency within a predetermined range of an integer multiple of the carrier frequency spacing. A switch which is connected to the transformer controls the input of the transformer. A controller which is electrically connected to said DC output, said precision timer and the switch pulse width modulates said switch means at an integer multiple of the carrier frequency spacing whereby the DC output of the transformer is regulated.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a water-based paint composition comprising sodium silicate, water, water-soluble base, metal oxide pigment, and zinc oxide as an adhesion promoter. Preferably, it further comprises glass frit and surfactants. In other aspects, it is directed to the method of making the composition, and glass sheets having a cured paint field thereon, and the method of making such glass sheets.

Abstract: A technique for controlling the rate of engagement of a friction element in response to a commanded change in operating range of an automatic transmission. Hydraulic pressure at a blip magnitude fills the hydraulic cylinder of a friction element. The pressure magnitude at the base of a pressure ramp and a magnitude at the top of the ramp are calibrated over a range of transmission oil temperature for each type of range change required by the vehicle operator. The calibrations minimize the length of engagement and produce a smooth engagement. Execution of an algorithm produces a high level of pressure magnitude on the basis of these calibrated values, a step down at the base of a ramp, a rate of increase during the period of engagement, and a maximum pressure at the top of the ramp.

Abstract: A method for reducing hydrocarbon emissions exhausted from an internal combustion engine includes timing the opening and closing of valved intake and exhaust ports to overlap for a predetermined time period, and introducing at least one of a pressure decrease at the intake passage during said overlap and a pressure increase in said exhaust passage during said overlap to reduce late hydrocarbon emissions during the overlap. Preferably, a pressure transducer such as an acoustic transducer may be driven to provide an increased pressure pulse at the exhaust port during the overlap period. Alternatively, a preferred implementation of reduced pressure at the intake port includes the operation of a throttle bypass valve that reduces fluid flow to the intake port.

Abstract: A lockup clutch assembly and fabrication method for a hydrokinetic torque converter comprising a high capacity piston and clutch assembly located within the cover of the hydrokinetic torque converter, the piston and clutch assembly comprising a first friction disc and a second friction disc connected drivably to the torque input member of a multiple ratio geared transmission and a third friction disc situated between the first and second friction discs and connected to the cover of the torque converter, the second friction disc being adapted to engage a friction surface on the cover when a pressure differential across the piston and clutch assembly is created in the torque converter, the driving connection between the third disc and the cover being achieved by interlocking spline teeth or embossments which permit torque transfer from the cover through the piston and clutch assembly while accommodating relative axial displacement between them whereby a direct drive torque transfer path is established with mini