Abstract: A brake apply system includes a power booster in which, when released and at-rest, a leg of a stop engages a clip and an extension of a valve body engages the clip so that an annular rib of the valve body is axially spaced away from the stop by a distance G. At the same time, a first valve seat is engaged with a first annular valve element closing a pressure supply conduit off from a variable pressure chamber and a second valve seat is spaced away from a second annular valve element by a distance T, opening the variable pressure chamber to an atmospheric pressure chamber. When the power booster is applied, the second valve seat moves the distance T and engages the second annular valve element closing the variable pressure chamber off from the atmospheric pressure chamber and the first valve seat separates from the first annular valve element opening the pressure supply conduit to the variable pressure chamber.

Abstract: An electrical terminal is disclosed where the terminal is formed of an electrically-conductive metal substrate such as copper alloys, aluminum alloys or stainless steel with the substrate having a codeposited composite coating of titanium nitride and gold or silver on the surface. The coating provides wear resistance in high temperature and vibration environments while retaining and demonstrating low friction and low contact resistance properties.

Abstract: A roller clutch case comprises two molded halves that snap fit into retention grooves on the cam race when inserted from opposite axial directions. The retention features of the cage halves that fit within the retention grooves are inherently stiff, and occupy most of the circumferential extent of the cage halves. Narrow grooves in the cage halves allow the entire structure to shrink inwardly and re expand, so as to allow the retention features to snap into the grooves in spite of their stiffness. In operation, high pressure oil injected between the cage halves pushes the cage halves axially outwardly, but the cage halves are securely retained by the stiff retention features. The oils is substantially trapped between the cage halves by the biasing of the same retention features into the sides of the retention grooves, with only the relatively narrow grooves providing any leak points. Close clearance cross bars in the cage halves help prevent oil migrating to the grooves.

Abstract: A rotor assembly for a synchronous reluctance machine has a plurality of steel punched star-shaped supports secured along a shaft at spaced locations for retaining a plurality of laminated rotor sections. The star-shaped supports have four equiangularly spaced arms having arcuate valleys disposed therebetween that define a plurality of channels for receiving the rotor sections. The rotor sections have a plurality of linearly-disposed apertures for receiving mounting members that extend radially from the valleys of the star-shaped supports. The portions of free ends of the mounting members that extend through the apertures, are stamped or formed to secure the rotor sections to the star-shaped supports. A rotor bar may be disposed within a concave cavity defined by the rotor sections to reduce audible noise produced as the rotor rotates at a high rate of speed.

Abstract: An induction motor drive uses direct vector control for zero speed start up. According to the invention, a speed sensorless induction motor is controlled at all speeds, including zero or substantially zero speed, using direct vector control. In order to utilize direct vector control at all speeds, it is necessary to derive accurate stator flux vectors at all speeds. This is accomplished in the present invention by calculating two sets of stator flux vectors in diverse manners. A first set of flux vectors is derived from measured stator terminal voltage quantities, and a second set of flux vectors is derived from measured stator current quantities. The first set of flux vectors is valid at non-zero speed and the second set of flux vectors is valid at substantially zero speed. The direct vector control utilizes one of the two sets of flux vectors in accordance with predetermined criteria indicative of zero and non-zero speed conditions.

Abstract: An air control valve for an engine includes a throttle body defining an air intake passage and a throttle valve rotatably mounted in the passage. The range of valve rotation includes an idle control portion extending from a minimum air flow position to an intermediate air flow position and a power control portion extending from the intermediate air flow position to a maximum air flow position. The intake passage is defined by an internal wall of the throttle body having a pair of arcuate surfaces spaced from the valve periphery, at a maximum first radius from the valve axis, with gradually increasing clearance on opposite sides of the valve axis in the idle control range from the minimum to the intermediate air flow position of the valve. The arcuate surfaces are defined by second and third radii greater than the maximum first radius and centered on second and third axes spaced laterally of the passage a predetermined offset distance beyond the valve axis relative to their respective surfaces.

Abstract: A low profile electrical distribution center comprises a plurality of thin bus assemblies that are stacked one upon another. Each bus assembly comprises stamped metal circuit components having planar bus portions sandwiched between thin flexible upper and lower sheets of insulation material that are bonded together. The stamped metal circuit components have male blade terminals that extend up or down from the bus portions. The thin flexible sheets of insulation material are die cut to facilitate manufacture and assembly of the stamped metal circuit components from a one piece stamped metal blank.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch has a selectively engaged security lock that prevents a vehicle door from being unlatched by an inside door handle. The security lock overrides the door lock when the inside door handle is operated with the security lock engaged so that the vehicle door latch may be unlocked from inside the vehicle easily when the security lock is engaged.

Abstract: Transient internal combustion engine fueling control with reduced calibration burden and increased precision through application of a convection model to estimate the mass transfer of fuel between cylinder intake gasses and intake system components primarily as a function of fuel film temperature and gas flow across fuel film on such components. The convection model applies potential/flow conditions in proximity to fuel film on intake components of an engine cylinder to predict the depletion of the fuel film and generates an impact factor representing the fraction of injected fuel impacting intake system components in a manner providing fuel control stability. The convection model applies an intake valve temperature estimate generated simply as a function of air mass flow rate through the intake system to be used in the calculation of the film convection parameters.

Abstract: A canister purge control strategy in which canister purge operation is adjusted when operating conditions normally identified as leading to purge system deterioration are present, such as high humidity operating conditions and operating conditions in which the fuel vapor canister is substantially fully purged. High humidity conditions, as are present during rainy conditions or inside a vehicle car wash, are detected by monitoring hardware normally available on the vehicle, such as a wiper switch state and a transmission gear state. Canister purging is adjusted or deactivated as a function of wiper switch state and transmission gear state to prevent moisture from entering the fuel vapor canister and reducing the capacity of the fuel adsorbing material. A substantially fully purged fuel vapor canister is detected by estimating a level of fuel vapor contained in the canister as a function of a change in injector pulse width under closed-loop control before and after canister purge is enabled.

Abstract: A catalytic converter of an engine, such as might be found in an automotive engine system, is capable of being quickly and electrically heated in order to reduce pollution emissions during critical cold start conditions. During cold start conditions, i.e. upon starting the engine, for a predetermined period of time the catalytic converter directly receives electrical power via a quick heating path connecting a catalyst power switch to the catalytic converter. Following the predetermined period of time after which the catalytic converter has been electrically heated, the catalyst power switch is connected to a junction block, such as a starter motor assembly, of the automotive engine system via a normal path.

Abstract: A three-phase invertor and control is disclosed for synthesizing low harmonic content AC voltage in the non-linear, or overmodulation, region of inverter operation. A field orientation control provides a reference voltage vector representing the desired AC output voltage in magnitude and angle. Three state, two state, and step inverter operations are used individually and in combinations in accordance with magnitude and angle parameters of the reference voltage vector.

Abstract: A single-piece housing fixed brake caliper is provided with one relatively large piston bore on one side of the rotor and two relatively smaller piston bores on the opposing side of the rotor. The sum of the areas of the two relatively smaller pistons is equal to the area of the one relatively larger piston to provide balanced braking. The side of the caliper housing opposite the two relatively smaller bores contains two access cavities that provide clearance for the tooling that is necessarily positioned within the caliper to machine the bores. Similarly, the side of the caliper housing opposite the one relatively larger bore contains one access cavity that provides clearance for the tooling.

Abstract: An integrated BEDC and PCB provided through a low cost, highly reliable interconnect system. The upper and/or lower half of the main insulation assembly of a BEDC is provided with a recess for accommodating at least an edge portion of the substrate of a PCB. The PCB is provided with apertures such as holes for receiving therethrough a buss wire and/or terminal slots through which terminals having wire slots are fixedly staked. The apertures on the PCB are arranged in a predetermined pattern so as to align with corresponding respective apertures in the form of corresponding holes and/or terminal slots on the BEDC at the recess thereof. Accordingly, with the PCB seated in the recess, as the buss wires are laid, they will pass through the holes in the PCB and/or pass through the wire slot of the terminals and thereby provide interconnection therebetween when the two halves of the main insulation assembly are united and the PCB is sandwiched therebetween.

Abstract: A brushless DC motor modifies motor commutation events to reduce noise by providing overlapping activation of the switch being deactivated with the switch being newly activated so that three switches are temporarily activated. The newly activated switch is pulse width modulated with a motor torque controlling duty cycle, and the switch being deactivated is pulse width modulated synchronously with the newly activated switch but with a duty cycle decreasing from the torque controlling duty cycle. The decreasing modulation of the switch being deactivated allows a slower current decrease in the phase turning off to reduce or eliminate the disturbances, and thus the noise. The decreasing modulation is preferably exponential in manner, with a time constant varying inversely with motor speed so that the duty cycle reaches a predetermined minimum in a predetermined maximum number of motor electrical degrees.

Abstract: The CO concentration in the H.sub.2 feed stream to a PEM fuel cell stack is monitored by measuring current and/or voltage behavior patterns from a PEM-probe communicating with the reformate feed stream. Pattern recognition software may be used to compare the current and voltage patterns from the PEM-probe to current and voltage telltale outputs determined from a reference cell similar to the PEM-probe and operated under controlled conditions over a wide range of CO concentrations in the H.sub.2 fuel stream. A CO sensor includes the PEM-probe, an electrical discharge circuit for discharging the PEM-probe to monitor the CO concentration, and an electrical purging circuit to intermittently raise the anode potential of the PEM-probe's anode to at least about 0.8 V (RHE) to electrochemically oxidize any CO adsorbed on the probe's anode catalyst.

Abstract: A microporous polymer battery separator having a puncture-proof corrugated border along the lateral edges thereof.

Abstract: A solenoid coil attachment mechanism includes a coil assembly with a wire end that projects from the coil assembly and an extending elongated leg that includes a latching mechanism. A carrier has a wall with an opening receiving the leg of the coil assembly and has a wire guide that is funnel shaped, has an open end and receives the end of the wire. A circuit board is attached to the carrier and the wire end is soldered directly to the circuit board.

Abstract: The vehicle has a door movably mounted adjacent an occupant's seat and a pull strap by which the occupant may pull the door closed. A lamp is mounted on the door at a position generally outboard and concealed behind the pull strap. The pull strap is vertically located in relation to the occupant and the lap in a position so that light emanating from the lamp is directed onto the occupant lamp for reading when the door is closed and, simultaneously, shielded from shining into the occupant's eyes by the pull strap. When the door is swung open, the light shines down on the roadway.

Abstract: A housing for a catalytic converter for an automotive vehicle engine exhaust system is formed of two deep drawn shells having open inner ends welded together in generally abutting relation. Modified conical outer ends taper to reduced size openings for connection to associated exhaust system pipes. To permit deep drawing, the outer ends as seen in longitudinal cross section are formed with curved surfaces including an intermediate curvature replacing a conventional conical shape and defined by radii of a value between 0.5 and 0.8 times the inner diameter of the tubular body portions of the respective shells which enclose a catalytic element. Connecting radii are preferably not greater than 0.1 times the tubular portion inner diameter. Various alternative forms of welded inner end joints are disclosed.