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: Presented are clutch-type engine disconnect devices, methods for making/using such disconnect devices, and motor vehicles equipped with such disconnect devices. An engine disconnect device includes a notch plate, which has multiple notches and attaches to a torque converter, and a pocket plate, which has multiple pockets and attaches to an engine's crankshaft. A pawl is movably mounted within each notch; these pawls selectively engage the notches with the pockets. A notch plate insert is nested within each notch, supporting thereon one of the pawls. A selector plate interposed between the pocket and notch plates moves from a first position, to shift the pawls out of engagement with the pockets, and a second position, to move the notch plate inserts within the notches and allow the pawls to engage the notches with the pockets to thereby lock the notch plate to the pocket plate to rotate in unison with each other.

Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator with stator slots securing therein electrically conductive windings. A rotor is rotatably mounted adjacent the stator and includes a stack of rotor laminates. Each laminate includes circumferentially spaced poles, each of which includes a magnet slot spaced from an insert slot. These laminate magnet slots cooperatively define the rotor's magnet slots. Likewise, the laminates' insert slots cooperatively define the rotor's insert slots. Magnets are mounted inside the rotor's magnet slots, and non-magnetic inserts are mounted inside the rotor's insert slots. One or more poles of each laminate includes a structural web that extends radially through the magnet and insert slots of that pole. Multiple poles of each rotor laminate lack a radially extending structural web. Each rotor laminate is rotated with respect to a neighboring rotor laminate such that each pole with a structural web axially aligns with a pole without a structural web.

Abstract: A battery system for a motor vehicle or other system includes a voltage bus with positive and negative bus rails, and first and second battery packs. The battery packs are arranged between and connected to rails. High-voltage switches are collectively configured to selectively interconnect the battery packs in a series or parallel battery arrangement. The switches include a pair of mutually-exclusive three-way/two-position contactors each having a series connection position and parallel connection position corresponding to the respective series and parallel battery arrangements. An electric powertrain includes an electrical load connected to the battery system, and a controller coupled to the switches. In response to a battery mode selection signal, the controller selectively transitions the contactors from the series connection position to the parallel connection position, or vice versa. A motor vehicle includes road wheels, a body, and the electric powertrain.

Abstract: A motor stator includes a plurality of stacked annular stator laminates defining a stator core having an inner circumference, an outer circumference, a plurality of stator teeth on the inner circumference, and a plurality of ears extending outward from the outer circumference with a respective bolt hole defined in each ear. A first set of the stator laminates includes a plurality of coolant openings therethrough, wherein the coolant openings of adjacent stator laminates communicate with one another in order to define cooling channels inside the stator core. A second set of the stator laminates each include one or more generally radially extending first openings therethrough, wherein the first openings of adjacent stator laminates communicate with one another to define one or more first radial channel segments inside the stator core for providing radial coolant flow between one or more bolt holes and one or more cooling channels.

Abstract: An interior permanent magnet (IPM) electric machine has an improved rotor configuration to manage mechanical stresses induced by electro-magnetic force acting upon permanent magnets housed therein. This includes providing magnet cavities in the rotor with sufficient clearances in the corners wherein a portion of a slot corner is formed with certain curvature shapes using a novel geometry. By doing this, more surface area is obtained to evenly distribute stress that is induced by centrifugal force acting upon the rotor during rotation, thus reducing the stress concentration. Furthermore, an expanded space is achieved between the magnet corner and the rotor lamination, thus providing robust packaging and dynamic support of the permanent magnets in the magnet cavities. Furthermore, the expanded space provides improved clearance for ease of manufacturing and assembly.

Abstract: Methods for resistance welding, resistance-welded assemblies, and vehicles including resistance-welded assemblies are provided. An exemplary resistance welding method includes compressing a workpiece stack-up with an interface material between first and second workpieces to squeeze a portion of the interface material to a reduced thickness. After compressing the workpiece stack-up, the first welding electrode contacts the first workpiece at an operating contact area between the first welding electrode and the first workpiece that is greater than an initial contact area. The method also includes passing an electrical current between the welding electrodes to form a molten weld pool within the workpieces, and ceasing the passing of the electrical current between the welding electrodes to allow the molten weld pool to solidify into a weld nugget that forms all or part of a weld joint between the workpieces.

Abstract: Negative electrodes for electrochemical cells that cycle lithium ions are provided. The negative electrodes comprise electroactive material particles that exhibit a core-shell structure defining a core made of a lithiated silicon-based material and a shell surrounding the core that is a bi-layer structure including first and second carbon coating layers. An electrical conductivity of the first carbon coating layer is greater than that of the second carbon coating layer. A method of manufacturing a negative electrode material is provided in which a first carbon coating layer is formed on an outer surface of a silicon-based precursor particle. The silicon-based precursor particle is exposed to a lithium source to form a lithiated silicon-based particle having the first carbon coating layer. A second carbon coating layer is formed on the first carbon coating layer over the lithiated silicon-based particle to form an electroactive material particle.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle towing a trailer. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more sensors onboard a vehicle are configured to provide sensor data, and a processor onboard the vehicle is configured to at least facilitate: monitoring a trailer sway of the trailer using the sensor data, based on one or more parameters of the sensor data representing the trailer sway and application of a band-pass filter to the one or more parameters; and mitigating the trailer sway, via instructions provided by the processor to one or more braking systems of the vehicle, the trailer, or both, when it is determined that the trailer sway of the trailer is sufficient to warrant mitigation based on the one or more parameters of the sensor data representing the trailer sway and the application of the band-pass filter to the one or more parameters.

Abstract: A composite cover includes a generally rectangular main portion having four main portion edges about a perimeter of the main portion and having opposing top and bottom surfaces defining respective upward and downward directions, and four generally rectangular side portions each contiguous with and extending downward from a respective one of the main portion edges. The main portion and the four side portions generally enclose an interior space and are made of a sandwich structure comprising an interior layer of continuous fiber reinforcements and resin and an exterior layer of metallic foil bonded to the interior layer. A method of manufacturing the cover, having a desired shape generally of a five-walled open box, includes attaching a formed sheet made of metallic foil and having the desired shape onto a shaped composite preform disposed in the desired shape, wherein the shaped composite preform is made of continuous fiber reinforcements and resin.

Abstract: A method of forming a shaped steel object is provided. The method includes cutting a blank from an alloy composition including 0.05-0.5 wt. % carbon, 4-12 wt. % manganese, 1-8 wt. % aluminum, 0-0.4 wt. % vanadium, and a remainder balance of iron. The method also includes heating the blank until the blank is austenitized to form a heated blank, transferring the heated blank to a press, forming the heating blank into a predetermined shape to form a stamped object, and decreasing the temperature of the stamped object to a temperature between a martensite start (Ms) temperature of the alloy composition and a martensite final (Mf) temperature of the alloy composition to form a shaped steel object comprising martensite and retained austenite.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electrode for an electrochemical cell. The electrode includes a polymer binder network and a plurality of electroactive material particles. The polymer binder network includes a plurality of fibers defining the polymer binder network. Each of the plurality of fibers includes a plurality of beads and a plurality of filaments. The plurality of filaments extends from at least a portion of the plurality of beads, respectively. The plurality of electroactive material particles is in voids of the polymer binder network. In certain aspects, the present disclosure provides a single- or double-sided electrode component including a current collector and the electrode.

Abstract: An electrode includes an electroactive material layer and a protective layer disposed on or adjacent to a surface of the electroactive material layer. The protective layer includes a polymerized cyclic ether and a salt dispersed therewithin. The salt includes a nitrate salt and a phosphate salt. The salt may also include a Lewis acid salt. The protective layer is formed by disposing a solution, including the salt and solvent, on or adjacent to the surface of the electroactive material layer, and polymerizing the solvent. The solvent includes the cyclic ether, and also, one or more organic phosphates.

Abstract: An electrified drivetrain system that maximizes power density, is readily packaged, and improves drivability is described. It includes a propulsion system having an axial-flux rotating electric machine, a torque converter having a selectable one-way clutch, and an output member that is couplable to a drivetrain. The axial-flux rotating electric machine include a first rotor coaxially arranged with a first electric stator. The torque converter includes a fluidic stator, a pump, a turbine and a torque converter clutch. The axial-flux rotating electric machine is arranged coaxially with the torque converter. The first rotor of the axial-flux rotating electric machine is coupled to the pump of the torque converter, and the turbine of the torque converter is rotatably coupled to the output member.

Abstract: A mount bushing includes an outer ring adapted for connection to a mount structure. A tubular bushing insert is disposed inside the outer ring and a main elastomeric isolation arrangement disposed between the outer ring and the tubular bushing insert. A secondary elastomeric element is disposed inside the tubular bushing insert, wherein the secondary elastomeric element is isolated from the main elastomeric isolation element by the tubular bushing insert. A structural tube is disposed inside the secondary elastomeric element and a mounting bolt is inserted through the structural tube.

Abstract: A vehicle type database includes a plurality of vehicle type profiles. Each of the vehicle type profiles is associated with a vehicle type having a vehicle type specific aerodynamic profile and includes optimal following ranges associated with the vehicle type. Each of the optimal following distance ranges is based on the vehicle type specific aerodynamic profile of the vehicle type and a vehicle speed of the vehicle type wherein a trailing vehicle disposed in the optimal following range is configured to operate at an optimal fuel efficiency. A first optimal following distance range is identified based on a first vehicle type and a first vehicle speed using a first vehicle type profile associated with the first vehicle type. A command is issued to the AR vehicle HUD display system to display a graphical representation of the first optimal following distance to overlay an actual view of the road.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for navigating a mobile platform in an environment. A processor obtains information about an object in the environment, obtains information about a first satellite, and estimates a probability indicator for a non-line of sight signal transmission between a current satellite location of the first satellite and a current location of the mobile platform using the information about the first satellite and the information about the object. The processor further determines a discrepancy indicator using a movement information of the mobile platform and a movement information of the first satellite such that a weighting indicator can be determined using the estimated probability indicator and the determined discrepancy indicator. The processor then assigns a weighting indicator to a satellite signal transmitted from the first satellite in order to provide a first weighted signal for navigating the mobile platform.

Abstract: A tool for locking/unlocking a torsional vibration damper screw to/from a crank shaft of an engine includes an elongated tool body having a first end and a second end. The first end of the tool body includes a pair of engagement pins sized and spaced for engaging a pair of apertures in the torsional vibration damper. The second end of the tool body includes an aperture for receiving a fastener for engaging the second end to a mounting location on the engine. A spacer element can be utilized for mounting the second end of the tool body to the engine mounting location.

Abstract: A laser welded assembly and method of making. The laser welded assembly includes a first work piece having a thickness (T1) defined between an external surface and a faying surface; a second work piece having a thickness (T2) defined between an external surface and a faying surface of the second work piece; a weld seam having a core fusion zone extending from the external surface of the first work piece through the faying interface and at least partially into the thickness (T2) of the second work piece; and a protruding fusion zone extending laterally from the core fusion zone adjacent to the external surface of the first work piece. The protruding fusion zone may be formed by post-heating or concurrently with the core fusion zone.

Abstract: Various technologies described herein pertain to generating an occupancy grid movie for utilization in motion planning for the autonomous vehicle. The occupancy grid movie can be generated for a given time and can include time-stepped occupancy grids for future times that are at predefined time intervals from the given time. The time-stepped occupancy grids include cells corresponding to regions in an environment surrounding the autonomous vehicle. Probabilities can be assigned to the cells specifying likelihoods that the regions corresponding to the cells are occupied at the future times. Moreover, cached query objects that respectively specify indices of cells of a grid occupied by a representation of an autonomous vehicle at corresponding orientations are described herein. An occupancy grid for the environment surrounding the autonomous vehicle can be queried to determine whether cells of the occupancy grid are occupied utilizing a cached query object from the cache query objects.