Abstract: An occupant support system for a vehicle passenger seat includes an air bladder with a first portion having a first flexibility and defining a first pressure adaptive volume, and a second portion having a second flexibility and defining a second pressure adaptive volume, wherein the first flexibility is lower than the second flexibility.

Abstract: A vehicle propulsion system includes a transmission having manually selectable gear ratios, a manually operable clutch for selectively connecting the transmission to an engine for receiving torque from the engine and transmitting that torque through the transmission for propelling the vehicle, a clutch position sensor that generates a clutch position signal and a controller that is programmed to receive the clutch position signal, determine an actual engine output torque, determine an actual clutch torque capacity value based upon the actual engine output torque and the clutch position signal, determine a difference between the actual clutch torque capacity value and a clutch torque capacity from a torque to position table corresponding to the clutch position signal, determine an adjusted clutch torque capacity based upon the determined difference, and control an operation of the engine based upon the adjusted clutch torque capacity.

Abstract: Methods of repairing a manufacturing defect in a molded polymeric composite structure are provided. A polymeric patch may optionally be disposed over a defect on a first contoured surface of the molded polymeric composite structure having the defect. A heating element that defines a second contoured surface complementary with at least a portion of the first contoured surface is applied over the polymeric patch. The heating element includes an electrically conductive layer that includes a fabric and a thermoset polymer. The polymeric patch is heated with the heating element, where the heating element has a substantially uniform temperature across the second contoured surface so that the polymeric patch fills the defect. Methods of making the customized heating elements and the customized heating elements are also provided.

Abstract: A component of an exhaust system is provided. The component includes a housing extending from an inlet at a first end to an outlet at an opposing second end, an electrically conductive material disposed within the housing, and an induction coil configured to emit a magnetic field. The magnetic field is operable to heat the electrically conductive material from a first temperature of greater than or equal to about ?20° C. to less than or equal to about 50° C. to a second temperature of greater than or equal to about 200° C. to less than or equal to about 700° C. in a time period of less than or equal to about 20 seconds.

Abstract: An audio system of a vehicle includes a selection module configured to, based on whether a gear shift of a transmission of the vehicle is occurring, set a selected torque to one of: a torque output of an engine of the vehicle; and a predicted torque output of the engine. A sound control module is configured to: determine frequencies for outputting a predetermined engine sound; and based on the selected torque, determine magnitudes for outputting the predetermined engine sound at the frequencies, respectively. An audio driver module is configured to apply power to speakers to output sound within a passenger cabin of the vehicle at the magnitudes and frequencies, respectively.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell of a secondary lithium ion battery includes lithium ion-exchanged zeolite particles or “lithiated zeolite particles” positioned along at least a portion of a lithium ion transport path through the electrochemical cell. The lithiated zeolite particles may be positioned within the lithium ion transport path through the electrochemical cell, for example, by being distributed throughout an electrolyte disposed between confronting anterior surfaces of a negative electrode and a positive electrode. Additionally or alternatively, the lithiated zeolite particles may be positioned within the lithium ion transport path through the electrochemical cell by being distributed throughout or deposited as a coating layer on the negative electrode, the positive electrode, and/or a porous separator sandwiched between the confronting anterior surfaces of the negative and positive electrodes.

Abstract: A vehicle seat belt buckle attachment system includes an anchor bracket fixed to a vehicle, a pivot fixed to the anchor bracket, a buckle bracket defining a curved slot that receives the pivot, and a buckle connected to the buckle bracket.

Abstract: A system and method is taught for collaborative vehicle to all (V2X) communications to improve driving vehicle performance in a heterogeneous capability environment by sharing capabilities among different vehicles in both autonomous and non autonomous vehicles. In particular, the system and method are operative to locate proximate road users and to share the location, velocity and direction of the proximate road user with other road users via V2X communications.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for detecting collisions between objects and an autonomous vehicle. The system includes a computer vision system configured to use acquired environmental data to determine a velocity vector of an object relative to the autonomous vehicle and a distance between the object and the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous driving system also includes a vehicle motion sensing module configured to use acquired vehicle motion data to determine an acceleration vector of the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous driving system also includes a collision detection module configured to register a collision between the object and the autonomous vehicle when the determined acceleration vector is detected having a direction that is substantially the same as a direction of the determined velocity vector of the object and when the determined distance between the object and the autonomous vehicle is less than a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a LIDAR chip and applying an anti-reflection (AR) coating to a coupling structure of the LIDAR chip. The coupling structure if formed on a wafer. A pocket is formed in the wafer adjacent the coupling structure. The AR material is deposited on top of the wafer and coupling structure. The AR material is etched to form the AR coating on the coupling structure.

Abstract: A method for mitigating an electrical actuator fault in a system containing multiple actuators includes: applying multiple predetermined conditions to each of multiple actuators in a vehicle system to identify when at least one of the multiple actuators is in a faulted condition; and increasing an input voltage to all of the actuators to increase an output of the at least one of the multiple actuators in the faulted condition to mitigate the faulted condition.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an article comprising a first metal layer; a second metal layer that is chemically different from the first metal layer; and a third metal layer disposed between the first metal layer and the second metal layer and contacting both the first metal layer and the second metal layer; where the third metal layer is chemically similar to either the first metal layer or the second metal layer; where at least two metal layers that are chemically similar are welded together through a clearance opening located in a metal layer that is not chemically similar to the at least two metal layers.

Abstract: A tool insert includes first, second, and third teeth arranged on a surface of the tool insert. The first tooth is arranged at a proximal end of the tool insert surface and has an angled leading end and a first tooth height. The second tooth is spaced from the first tooth by a first distance along the surface of the tool insert and has a second tooth height greater than the first tooth height. The third tooth is spaced from the second tooth by a second distance along the surface of the tool insert and has an extending angled portion. The first tooth forms a first groove in a bore surface. The second tooth increases the depth of the first groove. The third tooth provides at least one micro-scratch to one of the first groove and the bore surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for trimming a sheet metal workpiece includes a base to support the sheet metal workpiece at a working position on the base. A shearing tool is connected to the base to trim the sheet metal workpiece by mechanically inducing a shearing stress on the sheet metal workpiece to form an edge at an edge location on the sheet metal workpiece. A heater is connected to the base to define a heated region on the sheet metal workpiece by heating at least the edge location on the sheet metal workpiece after the sheet metal workpiece is in the working position. The apparatus includes a temperature sensor to detect a surface temperature of the heated region.

Abstract: A cutting tool that can simultaneously cut and restore asymmetric weld face geometries of two welding electrodes that are subject to different degradation mechanisms is disclosed along with a method of using such a cutting tool during resistance spot welding of workpiece stack-ups that include dissimilar metal workpieces. The cutting tool includes a first cutting socket and a second cutting socket. The first cutting socket is defined by one or more first shearing surfaces and the second cutting is defined by one or more second shearing surfaces. The first shearing surface(s) and the second shearing surface(s) are profiled to cut and restore a first weld face geometry and a second weld face geometry, respectively, that are different from each other upon receipt of electrode weld faces within the cutting sockets and rotation of the cutting tool.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides flanged joint or interface between two passageways. The flanged joint includes a first passageway, a connector, and a second passageway. The first passageway may, but not necessarily, be formed via casting process wherein an integrated flange may be defined at the opening of the first passageway such that the integrated flange defines a recess. The connector includes a support body having a fastener region at an upper end of the support body and a flange region at a lower end of the support body. The support body defines an aperture which is configured to support the second passageway. The flange region defined in connector is configured to engage with a recess defined in the first passageway.

Abstract: In an example of a method for increasing strength of an aluminum alloy, the aluminum alloy is formed in a molten state. The aluminum alloy includes from about 4 wt % to about 11 wt % silicon, from greater than 0.2 wt % to about 0.5 wt % chromium, from about 0.1 wt % to about 0.5 wt % magnesium, from about 0.01 wt % to about 0.1 wt % titanium, equal to or less than about 0.5 wt % iron, equal to or less than about 0.5 wt % manganese, and a balance of aluminum. The aluminum alloy is subjected to a solution heat treatment. The aluminum alloy is quenched, and the aluminum alloy is age hardened at an age hardening temperature ranging from about 140° C. to 175° C. for a time period ranging from about 3 hours to about 35 hours.

Abstract: A power module according to various aspects of the present disclosure includes a housing and a thermally-conductive element. The housing includes a polymer. The housing at least partially defines a channel. The channel is configured to receive a fluid. The thermally-conductive element is disposed at least partially within the housing. The thermally-conductive element is in fluid communication with the channel. The thermally-conductive element includes a thermally-conductive material. The thermally-conductive element is in thermal communication with the channel and a heat source. In certain aspects, includes at least one of a protrusion, a pin, and sheath. A method of manufacturing a channel having a thermally-conductive element for heat transfer includes (a) forming a channel, (b) forming a housing, and (c) removing a sacrificial material.

Abstract: A permanent magnet electric machine (PM machine) for a vehicle or other system includes a rotor assembly, fixed permanent magnets, a stator, an actuator, and one or more repositionable/moveable flux-shunting elements. The flux-shunting element is repositioned to control flux at specific operating points of the PM machine. The rotor assembly has a rotor coaxially surrounding and coupled to a rotor shaft. The permanent magnets are mounted to or in the rotor, and the moveable flux-shunting element is positioned between the rotor shaft and a respective one of the permanent magnets. Inboard and outboard ends of each respective permanent magnet may be oriented toward the rotor shaft and stator, respectively. The actuator selectively positions the moveable flux-shunting element at one or more operating points of the PM machine to vary reluctance in a magnetic circuit formed by the stator and rotor assembly.