Abstract: A roof rack system for a vehicle includes a first longitudinal bar and a second longitudinal bar disposed on opposite longitudinal sides of the vehicle. The first longitudinal bar defines a first guide channel, and the second longitudinal bar defines a second guide channel. The first guide channel and the second guide channel guide a transverse bar between a stowed position, wherein the transverse bar is flush with an exterior surface of the roof, and a deployed position, wherein the transverse bar is vertically spaced from the exterior surface of the roof.

Abstract: A disk brake assembly having a rotor and a caliper is provided. The caliper has first and second body portions and an intermediate portion coupled between the body portions. The first body portion has a first brake pad coupled thereto. The second body portion has a bore extending therein that defines an inner surface. The assembly further includes a piston disposed within the bore. The piston has an end portion and a tubular body coupled to the end portion. The end portion has a second brake pad coupled thereto. The assembly further includes a positioning sleeve member disposed on a portion of the inner surface within a portion of the groove. The assembly further includes a spring disposed in the groove that moves the piston and the second brake pad away from the rotor in response to a decreased fluid pressure in the piston.

Abstract: A control system includes a shift detection module, a request generation module, and a request setting module. The shift detection module detects when a transmission is executing a shift. The request generation module generates a transmission torque request to cause an engine to increase a transmission input shaft speed to a desired speed at a desired gear ratio when the transmission is executing the shift. The request setting module selectively sets the transmission torque request equal to a default torque request when the transmission torque request is greater than a first torque and the engine is coupled to a drive wheel.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for an electrical system. The electrical system includes a load, an interface configured to receive a voltage from a voltage source, and a controller configured to receive the voltage from the voltage source through the interface and to provide a voltage and current to the load.

Abstract: A motor vehicle has a hollow space between a front pillar and a fender. A noise insulator panel is mounted within and fills the hollow the hollow space between the pillar and the fender panel to block and absorb the communication of noise to the weather strip that seals the door to the pillar. The noise insulator panel includes a housing portion of compressible foam material with a base wall that is oversized to fit in compression between the pillar and the fender panel to block the communication of noise and a sidewall that extend forwardly from the base wall to define a cavity facing the engine and tires. An absorber portion fills the open cavity of the housing portion. The absorber portion is made of a fibrous material that is secured within the cavity of the housing portion and acts to absorb noise.

Abstract: A torque sensing system having a torque sensor, and a steering system, are provided. The torque sensor includes a first rotor having apertures extending therethrough and bar magnets disposed in the apertures. The torque sensor further includes a second rotor defining an interior region with the first rotor being disposed in the interior region. The second rotor has tooth members extending toward the first rotor. The torque sensor further includes first and second Hall effect sensors disposed in an open region of the second rotor proximate to the first rotor. The first and second Hall effect sensors generate first and second signals, respectively, indicative of an amount of torque applied between the first rotor and the second rotor.

Abstract: A method for controlling a multi-cylinder direct-injection internal combustion engine includes establishing an external exhaust gas recirculation valve from a present position to a target position to achieve a target exhaust gas recirculation, and synchronizing combustion initiation timing with actual exhaust gas recirculation as actual exhaust gas recirculation changes from a first exhaust gas recirculation value corresponding to the present position of the external exhaust gas recirculation valve to a second exhaust gas recirculation value corresponding to the target position of the external exhaust gas recirculation valve.

Abstract: A reinforcement and method for reinforcing a hollow tubular structure includes a first sheet of flexible fiber material impregnated with resin. The first sheet is rolled into a tubular shape and a seam is provided between first and second lateral edges of the first sheet to form a tubular reinforcement. An inflatable bladder extends through the tubular reinforcement and is inflated to press the tubular reinforcement into contact with the inside wall of the tubular structure. Curing of the resin will bond the first sheet to the inside wall to reinforce the tubular structure. The first sheet can have a region of built-up thickness to provide additional reinforcement. The seam between the lateral edges of the first sheet can be a separable seam that separates when the bladder is inflated to allow the first sheet to contact with a region of the tubular structure that is of larger circumference than the circumference of the tubular reinforcement.

Abstract: An engine assembly may include an engine structure, a first intake valve located in a first intake port, a first valve lift mechanism, a second intake valve located in a second intake port, a second valve lift mechanism, a first throttle valve, and a second throttle valve. The second intake valve may be displaced to an open position by the second valve lift mechanism during a first mode and the second intake valve may be maintained in a closed position by the second valve lift mechanism during a second mode. The first throttle valve may be in communication with an air source and the first intake port and control air flow from the air source to the first intake port. The second throttle valve may be in communication with the air source and the second intake port and control air flow from the air source to the second intake port.

Abstract: A method for controlling combustion in a multi-cylinder spark-ignition direct-injection internal combustion engine includes determining a desired combustion phasing for maintaining acceptable combustion properties, monitoring combustion phasing of each cylinder, selecting a target combustion phasing corresponding to one of the cylinders having a most retarded combustion phasing, adjusting spark timing in each cylinder not having the most retarded combustion phasing to achieve the target combustion phasing to balance the combustion phasing in all the cylinders at the target combustion phasing, and adjusting an external EGR percentage to converge the balanced combustion phasing in all the cylinders toward the desired combustion phasing.

Abstract: A method is provided for detecting a level of diesel-exhaust-fluid (DEF) in a reservoir that is operatively connected to a catalyst for a diesel engine. The method is employed in a vehicle in order to facilitate a refill of the reservoir. The method includes sensing a level of diesel fuel in a fuel tank via a sensor operatively connected to the tank. The method also includes determining whether the vehicle is on an incline using the sensed level of diesel fuel in the fuel tank. The method additionally includes determining the level of DEF in the reservoir if the vehicle is determined to be substantially not on an incline. A system is also provided for detecting a level of DEF in the reservoir.

Abstract: Control methods for regenerating particulate filter and an apparatus that includes an internal combustion engine, an exhaust gas conduit in fluid communication with and configured to receive exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine, and a particulate filter assembly in fluid communication with the exhaust gas conduit and configured to receive exhaust gas flowing therethrough. The particulate filter assembly includes a particulate filter to remove particulates from the exhaust gas, a heater device disposed near a front face of the particulate filter, to supply heat for regeneration of the particulate filter after shut-off of the internal combustion engine, and an air pump to input air into the particulate filter to transfer the supplied heat from the heater device to the particulate filter.

Abstract: A control system for a vehicle includes a location identification module, an adjustment triggering module, and an adjustment module. The location identification module identifies a location where an engine of the vehicle is expected to be shut down and later re-started with at least one temperature within a predetermined range of an ambient temperature at the time of the re-start. The adjustment triggering module generates a triggering signal when a vehicle location provided by a global positioning system (GPS) is less than a predetermined distance from the identified location. The adjustment module selectively one of increases and decreases a rate at which a dosing agent is injected into an exhaust system, upstream of a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst, when the triggering signal is generated.

Abstract: A method for determining an estimated driving range for a vehicle that uses battery power for vehicle propulsion, where the estimate is in the form of a range of values as opposed to a single value. In one embodiment, the method adds a positive offset value to an initial estimate value to determine an upper limit, and subtracts a negative offset value from the initial estimate value to determine a lower limit. The positive and negative offset values may be determined separately and on a real-time basis so that the extent of the overall estimated driving range may be influenced by the volatility in power consumption and/or power creation.

Abstract: One embodiment may include a gear assembly comprising at least one pair of meshing gears situated inside a gear case having a sump portion and a wall portion. A gear oil mixture may be disposed at least in the sump portion. At least one gear is immersed partially or fully in the oil mixture. The oil mixture comprises a hydrocarbon oil base and a coolant having an endothermic liquid/vapor transition at a temperature between the lower and upper operating temperatures of the gear assembly.

Abstract: A fluid system includes a fluidic device, an electrically-actuated fluid pump having a pump motor, and a control system. The control system controls a speed of the pump using a commanded torque value, and calculates a feedforward torque term as a function of a set of operating values, including a desired fluid line pressure. The control system determines the speed control torque term using pump speed error, and adds the feedforward torque term to the speed control torque term to calculate the commanded torque value. The speed control torque term may be determined using an integral term of a proportional integral derivative (PID) portion of the control system. A method for controlling pump speed includes calculating the feedforward torque term, determining the speed control torque term using a pump speed error, and adding the feedforward torque term to the speed control torque term to calculate the commanded torque value.

Abstract: An engine assembly may include an engine structure, a first intake valve, a first valve lift mechanism, a second intake valve, a second valve lift mechanism, and a boost mechanism. The first intake valve may be located in a first intake port and the first valve lift mechanism may be engaged with the first intake valve. The second intake valve may be located in a second intake port and the second valve lift mechanism may be engaged with the second intake valve and operable in first and second modes. The second intake valve may be displaced to an open position during the first mode and may be maintained in a closed position during the second mode. The boost mechanism may be in communication with an air source and the first intake port and isolated from the second intake port.

Abstract: A method for operating a spark-ignition internal combustion engine includes controlling spark ignition timing responsive to a combustion charge flame speed corresponding to an engine operating point and a commanded air/fuel ratio associated with an operator torque request.

Abstract: A hybrid transmission having an input member, an output member, and a single motor/generator is characterized by a plurality of fixed-ratio modes of operation and at least one electrically variable mode of operation. In the fixed-ratio modes of operation, the speed ratio between the input member and the output member is independent of the speed of the motor/generator. In the electrically variable mode of operation, the speed ratio between the input member and the output member is dependent upon the speed of the motor/generator.

Abstract: An exhaust gas after treatment system for an engine comprises an oxidation catalyst NOx adsorber wherein an oxidation catalyst compound and a NOx adsorber compound are disposed. A fuel injector is connected to and is in fluid communication with the oxidation catalyst NOx adsorber device for delivery of a hydrocarbon fuel thereto and an air pump is connected to and is in fluid communication with the oxidation catalyst NOx adsorber device for delivery of air thereto. The fuel injector and the air pump supply fuel and air to the oxidation catalyst NOx adsorber device for oxidation thereof and heating of the NOx adsorber compound to a NOx release temperature following shut down of the internal combustion engine.