Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for active vehicle cabin occupant detection system. The method includes predicting the presence of a vehicle occupant during operation of a vehicle in response to a door sensor indicative of a door opening, a carbon dioxide level and a pressure sensor in a passenger seat indicative of the vehicle occupant in the passenger seat, detecting the presence of the vehicle occupant using a vehicle cabin motion detector in response to the vehicle being shutdown, confirming the presence of the vehicle occupant using an infrared camera to detect a thermal signature of the vehicle occupant in response to the predicted presence of the vehicle occupant, and transmitting an alert via a wireless transmitter indicative of the presence of the vehicle occupant.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to sulfur-containing electrodes and methods for forming the same. For example, the method may include disposing an electroactive material on or near a current collector to form an electroactive material layer having a first porosity and applying pressure and heat to the electroactive material layer so that the electroactive material layer has a second porosity. The first porosity is greater than the second porosity. The electroactive material may include a plurality of electroactive material particles and one or more salt additives. The method may further include contacting the electroactive material layer and an electrolyte such that the electrolyte dissolves the plurality of one or more salt particles so that the electroactive material layer has a third porosity. The third porosity may be greater than the second porosity and less than the first porosity.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to electroactive materials for use in electrodes of lithium-ion electrochemical cells and methods of making the same, for example, methods for lithiating electroactive materials. A method of lithiating an electroactive material may include dispersing an electroactive material precursor within a room-temperature electrolyte that includes a lithium-based salt and contacting the electrolyte mixture and a lithium source so as to cause the lithium source to ionize and form lithium ions. The lithium ions may react with the electroactive material precursor to form a fully lithiated electroactive material (e.g., greater than 70% of total lithiation). The method further includes, in certain aspects, electrochemically discharging the fully lithiated electroactive material to form a lithiated electroactive material having an optimized lithiation state (e.g., less than or equal to about 40% of a first lithiation state of the fully lithiated electroactive material).

Abstract: The present application generally relates to network timing synchronization in the presence of link faults including apparatus and methods In various embodiments, a method includes generating a time synchronization signal, transmitting the time synchronization signal from a first switch to a second switch via a first link and from the first switch to a third switch via a second link, detecting a link failure of the first link, and transmitting the time synchronization signal from the second switch to the third switch via a third link in response to the link failure.

Abstract: Methods for forming channels within a substrate include molding a sacrificial component directly into the substrate and igniting the sacrificial component to deflagrate of the sacrificial component and form a channel in the substrate. The sacrificial component can include oxidizing agents such as chlorates, perchlorates, nitrates, dichromates, nitramides, and/or sulfates imbedded in a polymeric matrix, and the oxidizing agents can be 30 wt. % to 80 wt. % of the sacrificial component. The sacrificial component can further include one or more of unoxidized metal powder fuels, flammable gas-filled polymeric bubbles, one or more metallocenes and/or one or more metal oxide particles, one or more polymers with nitroester, nitro, azido, and/or nitramine functional groups, one or more burn rate suppressants such as oxamide, ammonium sulphate, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, and ammonium chloride, and non-combustible hollow bubbles and/or inert particles.

Abstract: An end-effector for installation of an emblem assembly is provided. The end-effector includes a support frame, a first splitter, and a second splitter. The first splitter and the second splitter are connected to the support frame. The pneumatically actuated grippers include: a first gripper connected to the first splitter and configured to grab at least a portion of the emblem assembly; and a second gripper connected to the second splitter and configured to peel off one or more layers of the emblem assembly. The roller is connected to the support frame and configured to wet out an adhesive layer of the emblem assembly.

Abstract: A vehicle air vent includes a volume control door pivotally mounted in a housing, a primary vane pivotally mounted in the housing to direct an air flow from an outlet of the vehicle air vent in an up/down direction, and a roller knob mounted on the primary vane and connected to the volume control door such that a rotation of the roller knob causes a rotation of the volume control door.

Abstract: A control system configured to execute a safing mode sequence for a spacecraft is disclosed. The control system includes one or more star trackers that each include a field of view to capture light from a plurality of space objects surrounding the celestial body. The control system also includes one or more actuators, one or more processors in electronic communication with the one or more actuators, and a memory coupled to the one or more processors. The memory stores data into a database and program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the control system to determine a current attitude of the spacecraft, and re-orient the spacecraft from a current attitude into a momentum neutral attitude.

Abstract: An engine control system includes: a normalization module configured to normalize, to within a predetermined range of values, a spark timing of an engine and at least one other parameter of the engine, thereby producing a normalized spark timing and at least one normalized other parameter, respectively; a processing module configured to generate a sigmoidal spark timing by applying, to the normalized spark timing, one of (a) a sigmoidal function and a sinusoidal function; and an estimation module configured to estimate a torque output of the engine based on the normalized spark timing and the at least one normalized other parameter using a mathematical model.

Abstract: An automotive engine structural component includes an oil sump formed within the engine structural component, a bore extending from an exterior surface of the engine structural component to the oil sump, an oil level indicator tube supported within the bore, the oil level indicator tube including an upper bead, a lower bead, an o-ring positioned on the oil level indicator tube between the upper and lower beads, the o-ring forming a radial seal between the oil level indicator tube and an interior surface of the bore, and a spacer clip positioned between the upper bead and the o-ring.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a frame, a body supported by the frame, a prime mover mounted to the frame, at least one axle connected to the frame, a suspension system connecting the at least one axle to the frame, and a load sensing and control system including at least one load sensor connected to the suspension system and a controller operatively connected to the at least one load sensor and the prime mover. The controller being operable to calculate a vehicle loading factor before the vehicle moves and to prevent operation of the prime mover if the vehicle loading factor that exceeds a selected load threshold.

Abstract: A traction control module includes a sensor/estimation module configured to output wheel stability data based on a plurality of wheel condition inputs and a wheel stability monitoring module configured to calculate a plurality of wheel stability predictors based on the wheel stability data. Each of the wheel stability predictors is independently indicative of a wheel slip condition. The traction control module further includes a wheel stability data fusion module configured to receive each of the plurality of wheel stability predictors, combine selected wheel stability predictors from the plurality of wheel stability predictors to generate combinations of the wheel stability predictors, and selectively output a torque reduction request based on the combinations of the wheel stability predictors.

Abstract: A structural arrangement for a vehicle includes a vehicle frame including a first frame member and a second frame member coupled to the first frame member. The vehicle frame extends along a vehicle body axis. The vehicle frame includes a suspension component including a control arm, a bushing, a bolt coupling the suspension component to the second frame member, and a load member coupled to the first frame member at a first attachment point and coupled to the second frame member at a second attachment point. The load member extends generally longitudinally along the vehicle body axis. The suspension component is coupled to the second frame member at the second attachment point and is detachable from the second frame member upon application of a load to the vehicle due to an impact event.

Abstract: A method of positioning components in a body structure of a motor vehicle includes determining a misalignment between a first aperture defined by a first component and a second aperture defined by a second component. The method also includes selecting, in response to the determined misalignment, a compensation pin having a center axis and an indexing feature. The method additionally includes inserting a nominal pin through the first aperture, wherein the nominal pin is parallel to the center axis and shifted therefrom by an offset distance. The method also includes orienting and fixing the compensation pin to the first component via the indexing feature. The method further includes inserting the compensation pin into the second aperture, thereby setting position of the first component relative to the second component. A vehicle body structure using such a component positioning method and a compound dowel having the compensation pin are also considered.

Abstract: Presented are thermomechanical fuses for mitigating heat propagation across electrochemical devices, methods for making and methods for using such fuses, and traction battery packs with load-bearing, sacrificial thermomechanical fuses to help prevent thermal runaway conditions. A battery assembly includes an electrically insulating battery housing with multiple battery cells disposed inside the battery housing. These battery cells are electrically interconnected, in series or parallel, and stacked in side-by-side facing relation to form adjacent, mutually parallel stacks of battery cells. Thermomechanical fuses thermally connect neighboring stacks of the battery cells. Each thermomechanical fuse is formed, in whole or in part, from a dielectric material that undergoes deterioration or deformation at a predefined critical temperature; in so doing, the thermomechanical fuse thermally disconnects a first stack of cells from a neighboring second stack of cells.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for locating a pair of components relative to one another using complex surfaces. One component has a complex surface, where the complex surface is smoothly contoured. Another component is shaped to be connected with the first component. A fixture locates the first component relative to the second component. The fixture includes a locator with a complex surface region shaped to mate with the complex surface of the one component to locate the fixture relative to that component. The fixture includes another locator to locate the fixture relative to the second component.

Abstract: An electrode for an electrochemical cell is provided. The electrode includes a carbon membrane having a first face and an opposing second face, wherein at least a portion of the carbon membrane is modified to include an elevated number of nucleation sites for lithium relative to the carbon membrane when unmodified.

Abstract: A system ground surface projection for autonomous driving of a host vehicle is provided. The system includes a LIDAR device of the host vehicle and a computerized device. The computerized device is operable to monitor data from the LIDAR device including a total point cloud. The total point cloud describes an actual ground surface in the operating environment of the host vehicle. The device is further operable to segment the total point cloud into a plurality of local point cloud and, for each of the local point clouds, determine a local polygon estimating a portion of the actual ground surface. The device is further operable to assemble the local polygons into a total estimated ground surface and navigate the host vehicle based upon the total estimated ground surface.

Abstract: A tire radius monitoring system for dynamically determining a tire effective radius for each of the wheels on a vehicle is described. The system includes a GPS sensor, a plurality of wheel speed sensors, and a controller. The controller determines, via the GPS sensor, a velocity vector related to longitudinal velocity of the vehicle. The controller determines wheel speeds for the plurality of vehicle wheels, and detects a no-wheel-slip state for the vehicle wheels and the velocity vector from the GPS sensor. The controller determines tire effective radii for the plurality of vehicle wheels based upon the velocity vector for the vehicle and the wheel speeds for the plurality of vehicle wheels during the no-wheel-slip state, and controls vehicle operation based upon the tire effective radii.

Abstract: A method of operating a powertrain system during coasting operation, wherein the powertrain system includes a driveline component (e.g., a transmission, drive shaft, differential, axle or wheel) having an output torque profile. The method includes: (i) determining a desired output torque transition profile for the driveline component between a first transition point before an end of a first state, and a second transition point after a beginning of a second state; and (ii) in response to a braking torque request, generating a friction braking torque command to operate a friction braking system, and adjusting the friction braking torque command during a transitional state between the first and second transition points by an amount corresponding to a difference between a magnitude of the output torque profile and a magnitude of the desired output torque transition profile.