Abstract: A heat exchanger and a method of making same that includes a central polymer core plate laminated on each side with a composite skin. The composite skin includes an electrically insulating outer layer, a middle metal layer to improve thermal conductivity and reduce diffusivity, and an inner layer that will thermally bond to the polymer core plate. A roll to roll method of making the heat exchanger is provided.

Abstract: A method for autonomously aligning a tow hitch ball on a towing vehicle and a trailer drawbar on a trailer through a human-machine interface (HMI) assisted visual servoing process. The method includes providing rearview images from a rearview camera. The method includes touching the tow ball on a display to register a location of the tow ball in the image and touching the drawbar on the display to register a location of a target where the tow ball will be properly aligned with the drawbar. The method provides a template pattern around the target on the image and autonomously moves the vehicle so that the tow ball moves towards the target. The method predicts a new location of the target as the vehicle moves and identifies the target in new images as the vehicle moves by comparing the previous template pattern with an image patch around the predicted location.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an inner door panel for a vehicle side door that employs a die casting process. The method includes providing a die cast mold having opposing mold halves that combine to define a die cavity configured to provide the inner door panel. An impact beam is positioned in the mold cavity prior to combining the first mold half and the second mold half, and a molten metal is provided to the mold cavity so that molten metal flows into all areas of the mold cavity and around the impact beam after the first mold half and the second mold half are combined. A solidified molded inner door panel is then removed from the die cast mold that includes an encapsulated impact beam.

Abstract: A powertrain system for a vehicle is described, and includes an internal combustion engine mechanically coupled to an electric machine to generate propulsion torque and electric power storable on an energy storage device. A method for controlling the powertrain system includes determining a first desired powertrain output power associated with a road load and determining a second desired powertrain output power associated with a feed-forward state-of-charge (SOC) for the energy storage device. The internal combustion engine and the electric machine are controlled responsive to the first and second desired powertrain output powers.

Abstract: An RF transmitter module for a cellular radio that includes a delta-sigma modulator having a plurality of interleaving dynamic element matching (DEM) circuits providing interleaved digital bits at a reduced clock rate. An interleaver controller controls the DEM circuits so as to provide groups of the digital bits at different points in time. In one embodiment, a summation junction adds the groups of the digital bits to provide a continuous stream of the interleaved digital bits, a DAC converts the stream of interleaved digital bits to an analog signal, and a power amplifier amplifies the analog signal.

Abstract: A system and method of simultaneously calculating an isolation resistance and a y-capacitance of a RESS may include the steps of: injecting a first signal into a RESS; recording an output signal from the RESS in response to the injection of the first signal; multiplying the first signal with the output signal to determine a first product; multiplying a second signal with the output signal to determine a second product wherein the second signal is orthogonal to the first signal; filtering the first product to determine a first constant; filtering the second product to determine a second constant; processing the first constant to determine a y-capacitance value; and processing the second constant to determine an isolation resistance value.

Abstract: A seat assembly includes a support and a seat cushion defining a recess. The seat cushion is disposed on the support. The seat assembly further includes a cushion insert removably disposed in the recess and a fastener assembly removably coupling the cushion insert to the support such that the cushion insert is removable from the recess.

Abstract: A system according to the present disclosure includes a fuel control module and at least one of a desired air per cylinder (APC) module and a predicted manifold absolute pressure (MAP) module. The desired APC module determines a desired amount of airflow to each cylinder of an engine. The predicted MAP module predicts a pressure within an intake manifold of the engine at a future time. The fuel control module selectively adjusts a fuel injection parameter of the engine based on at least one of: a change in the desired air per cylinder from a first time to a second time; and a change in the predicted manifold pressure from the first time to the second time.

Abstract: A noise abatement device for a vehicle having a body including a sunroof and a sunroof drain hose open for a fluid to flow from the sunroof to outside of the body. The noise abatement device includes a housing and at least one baffle. The housing has an interior wall and is configured to form an entry port connectable to the drain hose and an exit port openable to the outside of the body. The entry port is at a first elevation and the exit port is at as second elevation, lower than the first elevation. At least one baffle is attached to the interior wall. The baffle is configured to allow the fluid to flow via gravity from the entry port to the exit port and to create a tortuous path through the housing to prevent noise from outside of the body from entering the drain hose.

Abstract: A cellular radio architecture that includes a receiver module having a delta-sigma modulator that includes a plurality of gm cells configured in stages, where each stage includes at least two gm cells and an LC filter circuit. The gm cells in each stage can be controlled to be active or inactive to convert, for example, the modulator from a fourth order modulator to a second order modulator to reduce power dissipation. Further, the gm cells can be controlled to optimize a dynamic range of the modulator and to redirect current from inactive cells to active cells in order to optimize power consumption.

Abstract: Resinous fibers of nanometer to micrometer width dimensions are drawn from a multi-component system by a melt extrusion process. The process includes a step of combining a fiber resin with a water-soluble carrier resin to form a resinous mixture. The resinous mixture is extruded to form an extruded resinous mixture, the extruded resinous mixture having strands of the fiber resin with the carrier resin. The extruded resinous mixture is then contacted with water to separate the strands of the fiber resin from the carrier resin. An electrically conductive fibrous sheet is then formed from the strands of fiber resin. The fibrous sheets are useful as diffusion layers in fuel cells.

Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine includes a rotating assembly having a turbine wheel disposed inside a turbine housing and a compressor wheel disposed inside a compressor cover. The turbine housing defines a turbine outlet cavity, a turbine housing inlet, and a turbine housing outlet. The turbine housing inlet is configured to channel engine post-combustion gases to the turbine wheel and the turbine housing outlet is configured to exhaust the gases aft of the turbine wheel. A diffuser arranged inside the turbine outlet cavity is configured to channel the post-combustion gases aft of the turbine wheel and out to the turbine housing outlet, without discharging into the turbine outlet cavity.

Abstract: A mold comprising a scaffolding support structure including a base member, a top member and side members defining an enclosure. The scaffolding structure further includes a plurality of interconnected and elongated support members interspersed within the enclosure between the base member and the top member so as to define open space within the enclosure for ease of heating and cooling fluid flow, and a plurality of flow partitions within the enclosure. An intermediate layer is formed on the top member and a working surface layer is formed on the intermediate layer.

Abstract: A powertrain system including an internal combustion engine rotatably coupled to a variator of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is described. A method for controlling the CVT includes determining a first speed ratio change rate based upon a desired speed ratio and a commanded speed ratio, and determining a commanded speed ratio trajectory based upon the first speed ratio change rate, an actual speed ratio and a commanded speed ratio. A ratio change coefficient and a force ratio factor are determined based upon the commanded speed ratio trajectory. A shift force is determined based upon the ratio change coefficient and a total speed ratio change rate. A primary pulley pressure and a secondary pulley pressure for the CVT are controlled based upon the shift force and the force ratio factor.

Abstract: An exhaust gas system for an engine producing an exhaust gas includes an exhaust gas tube configured to receive the exhaust gas. A particulate filter is in fluid communication with the exhaust gas tube and configured to undergo thermal regeneration when the exhaust gas in the particulate filter is heated above a regeneration temperature. A generator unit is positioned downstream of the particulate filter and includes a first catalyst. A tank is configured to store a precursor material. The generator unit is configured to employ the precursor material and the heat generated for the thermal regeneration of the particulate filter to generate an ammonia gas from the precursor material. The system includes a controller having a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method of controlling generation of ammonia gas in the generator unit and injection of ammonia gas in the exhaust gas tube.

Abstract: A fluid containment system includes a container, a sensor, and a splash shield. The container has a bottom and defines an interior configured for holding a volume of fluid. The volume of fluid is variable between a low volume range and a filled range. The sensor is operatively disposed in the interior of the container in spaced relationship to the bottom. The sensor is configured to be at least partially submerged in the fluid only when the volume is in the filled volume range. The splash shield is operatively disposed within the interior of the container at a barrier level defined between the sensor and the bottom. As such, the splash shield is disposed between the sensor and a surface level of the fluid when a level of the fluid is less than the barrier level to provide a barrier to prevent fluid from splashing onto the sensor.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine is coupled to an oxidation catalyst disposed upstream of a second catalytic device. A controller includes an instruction set executable to detect a cold start engine starting event, monitor first and second temperature sensors, control each of the fuel injectors to execute a first set of fuel injection events for each cylinder event in response to an output torque request, and execute a second set of fuel injection events for each cylinder event after cylinder top-dead-center. The second set of fuel injection events includes a final injection event, and a duration of the final injection event is determined based upon the first and second temperatures.

Abstract: A differential assembly for vehicle includes a differential, a prop shaft configured to drivingly couple the differential to a motive power source, a first half shaft configured to drivingly couple the differential to a first road wheel, and a second half shaft configured to drivingly couple the differential to a second road wheel. The differential assembly also includes a first electric machine having a first output shaft and a second electric machine having a second output shaft. The differential assembly additionally includes a first gearing assembly configured to selectively impose a controlled speed ratio between the first half shaft and the first output shaft and a second gearing assembly configured to selectively impose a controlled speed ratio between the second half shaft and the second output shaft.

Abstract: A reduced-corrosion assembly includes a first and a second component joined by a fastener having a head and a body. A coating covers a section of the body. The assembly also includes a washer, a compression limiter, and a nut arranged on the first component and adapted to engage the fastener body to thereby tighten the assembly. When the assembly is tightened, the compression limiter is arranged on the fastener body between the first and second components, while the second component is arranged on the fastener body between the compression limiter and the washer. Furthermore, the washer is arranged on the fastener body between the fastener head and the second component, while the coating covers the body substantially up to where the nut engages the body such that corrosion of the assembly is limited or reduced. A vehicle employing the reduced-corrosion fastening system is also provided.