Abstract: A mixing system is provided. The mixing system includes a housing defining a boundary of a mixing conduit including an expansion section with an injector mount and a reductant diverter extending into the conduit upstream of the injector mount in the expansion section. The mixing system further includes an atomizer with openings positioned in the housing and a helical mixing element positioned in the housing.

Abstract: A mounting system includes a vehicle seat having a seatback frame with a forwardly rolled support flange. The forwardly rolled support flange defines a cavity and is disposed on an upper portion of the seatback frame. A support member is received on the support flange and has a generally inverted U-shaped body portion and a loop portion. In assembly, the support member rolls on to the support flange to define a landing for mounting an accessory to the upper portion of the seatback frame.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing, a plurality of pins disposed on the housing, a pin chamber disposed on the housing, and a cap disposed on the chamber. The cap has a plurality of holes for receiving the pins. The pins are aligned with the holes when the cap is in an operating position and the pins are offset from the holes when the cap is in a storage position.

Abstract: A bi-channel tube for use in a heat exchanger is disclosed having a passageway or window formed in the common wall or divider separating the adjacent channels. This arrangement permits a controlled amount of interaction of the fluids flowing in the adjacent channels in the bi-channel tube. The bi-channel coolant tube includes a first fluid-carrying channel, a second fluid-carrying channel, a common wall or divider separating the first fluid-carrying channel from the second fluid-carrying channel, and at least one fluid-passing passageway or window formed in the common wall or divider. The fluid-passing passageway or window is preferably an elongated window that is formed along the long axis of the bi-channel coolant tube. The bi-channel coolant tube may be composed of a metal such as aluminum, including aluminum alloy, and steel, including stainless steel.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a footwell object detection sensor to detect objects in the footwell. The footwell object detection sensor includes an object detection sensor and a controller. The object detection sensor outputs data indicative of a state of the footwell that includes a plurality of pedals. The controller is programmed to, in response to a difference between the data and stored data corresponding to reference states of the footwell being indicative of a presence of an object that inhibits actuation of one or more of the pedals, output a warning signal. The controller may output a pedal status of each of the pedals based on a comparison between the data and the stored data. Controller outputs can be used to confirm or invalidate pedal position signals used by other control systems in the vehicle.

Abstract: An engine system, comprising a first gaseous fuel source with a first gaseous fuel located therein coupled to one or more engine cylinders and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system with a reform catalyst located therein, the reform catalyst reforming natural gas into a gas with a wider AFR operating range. The engine may thus operate at an AFR that may be outside of that available during natural gas combustion alone to allow for cooler engine operation.

Abstract: A remote sensing device is utilized to activate boundary alert sensors in a vehicle to reduce current loading during a key-off condition. Communication between the remote sensing device and the vehicle is via a radio-frequency interface that is part of a remote keyless entry system. The remote sensing device transmits a signal to the vehicle when an object is detected within a predetermined range of the remote sensing device. In response to the signal, the vehicle activates one or more boundary alert sensors. The boundary alert sensors may include a camera, a radar, and an ultrasonic sensor. The remote sensing device can be configured to extend a range of the radio-frequency interface by repeating messages that it receives.

Abstract: Various methods and system are described for a fuel system which includes a fuel composition sensor and a fuel lift pump disposed upstream of the sensor. The system may be operated in each of three different modes of operation. In each of the modes, a fuel lift pump voltage is adjusted responsive to a fuel capacitance output by the sensor, while a variable such as sensor temperature or fuel pump pressure is maintained depending on the mode of operation.

Abstract: A traction battery assembly for a vehicle is provided. The traction battery assembly may include a battery cell array and a thermal plate configured to support the battery cell array. The thermal plate may define an inlet port, two outer channels each having a channel inlet in communication with the inlet port, at least three inner channels disposed between the outer channels, and an outlet port. The ports and channels may be arranged such that fluid traveling through any two adjacent channels flows in opposite directions and fluid, when exiting the thermal plate, empties from one or more of the inner channels into the outlet port without first entering the channel inlets.

Abstract: A device for controlling a restricted mode of a vehicle is provided. The device includes a controller that is configured to receive an input indicative of a request to change a vehicle state from a fully operational mode to a restricted mode and to transmit a first control signal indicative of a request to limit at least one of vehicle speed and vehicle acceleration. The controller is further configured to monitor a distance traveled by a driver when the vehicle is in the restricted mode and to compare the distance traveled to a predetermined distance limit. The controller is further configured to transmit a second control signal to remove the request to limit the at least one of the vehicle speed and the vehicle acceleration in response to determining that the distance traveled exceeds the predetermined distance limit.

Abstract: An electric vehicle battery pack includes an array of battery cells each cell having an upper cell surface and a lower cell surface, the lower cell surface having a positive and a negative terminal; and a thermal assembly in thermally-conductive contact with the upper cell surfaces of the array. A battery pack cooling method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of reducing process interruptions in biofuel production systems by reducing the amount of unwanted bacteria in the biofuel production system in which the reduction is effected by the use of an effective amount of one or more types of bacteriophages virulent for at least some strains of the unwanted bacteria.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improving hybrid vehicle shifting are presented. Specifically, torque supplied to an input shaft of a transmission may be adjusted during torque and inertia phases of a transmission gear shift. The torque supplied to the transmission input shaft may be increased or decreased based on the shift and the shift phase.

Abstract: One example method includes varying oil injection by an oil injector onto a piston of an engine to accommodate different operating conditions. For example, by adjusting oil injection, suitable cooling effects can be provided without providing additional oil that increases the amount of oil deposits in the engine. In this way, the risk of pre-ignition can be reduced.

Abstract: A method, comprising: during engine cylinder operation with fuel from a first injector and not a second injector: increasing a rail pressure of a fuel rail coupled to the second injector in response to a temperature increase of a tip of the second injector. In this way, by raising the rail pressure of a fuel rail coupled to the second injector in response to a temperature increase of a tip of the second injector, the method may be utilized to prevent a vapor space from forming within the tip of the second injector which is exposed to the heat of combustion within the engine cylinder. By preventing a vapor space from forming, the method may be used to prevent fuel distillation in the tip of the second injector during periods where the engine cylinder is operating with fuel from a first injector and not the second injector.

Abstract: A method for operating an engine is disclosed. In one example, internal EGR is increased during conditions where cooled EGR is at a higher concentration during a decreasing engine load so that homogeneous compression ignition may be initiated at lower engine loads.

Abstract: Methods of forming contact holes comprising: (a) providing a substrate comprising a plurality of post patterns over a layer to be patterned; (b) forming a hardmask layer over the post patterns and the layer to be patterned; (c) coating a pattern treatment composition over the hardmask layer, wherein the pattern treatment composition comprises a polymer comprising a reactive surface attachment group and a solvent; and optionally baking the substrate; wherein the polymer becomes bonded to the hardmask layer to form a polymer layer over the hardmask layer; and (d) treating the substrate with a rinsing agent comprising a solvent to remove residual, unbound said polymer, thereby forming a first hole disposed between a plurality of surrounding post patterns. The method is free of exposing the polymer to activating radiation from coating the pattern treatment composition to treating the substrate with the solvent. Also provided are pattern treatment compositions and electronic devices formed by the methods.

Abstract: A method for reducing interference in an inductive charging system is provided. The method includes steps of inductively charging a chargeable device with an inductive charger, detecting the operation of a receiver in an AM band, and adjusting at least one of a frequency band employed by the charger and an amount of power provided to the chargeable device by the charger based on the operation of the receiver in the AM band.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a radar sensor for detecting objects in the vehicle path. The radar sensor may become blocked by contaminants or debris. A controller monitoring the radar system may detect a radar blockage when a return signal magnitude is less than a threshold. A typical response may be to set a radar blockage diagnostic under such a condition. The controller may inhibit setting a radar blockage diagnostic when other data indicates that the radar sensor is not blocked. Data such as vehicle position, traffic information, camera images, and historical radar returns may be used. A controller may confirm a radar blockage diagnostic when other data indicates that the radar sensor may be blocked. Data such as temperature, vehicle position, surface roughness, automated brake interventions, and heating system status may be used. Return signal dependent functions may be operated based on the radar blockage diagnostic.

Abstract: The present invention is a composition comprising a solution or a dispersion of polymer particles, a sorbate ester or sorbamide curing agent, and a cure modulating additive for the curing agent. The curing agent is a sorbic acid ester or a sorbamide and the cure modulating agent is a reagent capable of accelerating or attenuating the rate of cure of the curing agent. The control of cure kinetics is important for speeding up cure rates where rates are too slow or by reducing cure rates where curing too rapidly results in undesirable color formation.