Abstract: The rear of a thin IC card is provided with a jack (42A, 42B, FIG. 4) that can receive a multi-contact audio type plug (40) having a diameter that is more than half the thickness of the card. The circuit board has a slot (60) that opens into the rear of the card. A U-shaped insulative block (80) is mounted on the card, with the opposite arms of the block lying at opposite sides of the board slot. Sheet metal contacts are mounted on the block and project into the slot in the circuit board, with each contact having a vertically-extending plug-engaging part (120) lying in the circuit board slot. The IC card includes a housing with a rear end cap (140) having a largely cylindrical passage (142A, 142B) that guides an audio-type plug into the slot in the circuit board to engage the contacts thereat. The end cap is constructed to form a rearward extension of the card that projects rearward of a card-receiving host slot, to enable a wide plug handle to be inserted against the rear of the end cap.

Abstract: An attachment for a noise-and-vibration dampening fixing of a windshield wiper system to a vehicle body comprises a fastening eye with a circular aperture for receiving a rubber-elastic, hollow, cylindrical, noise-and-vibration dampening element with circumferential annular groove on its outside surface. Good stability of the attachment and its easy assembling are achieved in that, proceeding from the circular aperture, an open break extends through an edge, raised in an approximately perpendicular manner, so that a web is fastened on yoke tongues of a resulting yoke opening and bridges the yoke opening. The dampening element is insertable sideways through the yoke opening as far as into the aperture.

Abstract: A snap switch having spring a spring energy store and wedge profile. In conventional switches, the wedge profile was attached to the end of the contact arm, which forms the moving switching element. Heating of the contact arm due to large, switched electrical currents results in heating of the wedge profile and thus to a possible retardation of the switching, which, in turn, contributes to an additional heating of the wedge profile. The wedge profile is positioned where a low heat effect is expected. Thus, the wedge profile is seated under pretension at the switching element, where the contact arm forms a single sheet metal part whose one end senses the wedge profile.

Abstract: A circuit is disclosed for modifying a first signal and a second signal from a signal source providing at least two signals. The circuit including devices for forming signal components from the first and second signals. The signal components are then combined into a modified first signal and a modified second signal by means of a first combining device and a second combining device, respectively.

Abstract: A method for determining the line of sight of an electro-optical device mounted in a spacecraft such as a satellite. The electro-optical device includes an electo-optical element that detects impinging light energy and produces electrical pulses corresponding to the light energy detected. The method involves providing the electro-optical device with a scan mirror which is rotated to scan space to detect the light produced by a suitably bright star. Once detected, the scan mirror selectively directs the light produced by the detected star toward the electro-optical element which produces electrical pulses in response to the light. A computer on-board the spacecraft then compares the electrical pulses outpputed by the electro-optical device to a predetermined output expected for the star, to determine the line of sight of the electro-optical device.

Abstract: Power supply is accomplished via two rails, which are arranged in one plane and which in each case have lugs, which can be bent out from the rail plane. In this case, contact arm of at least one lug is run away over a rail. In this way, a system which is quick to install and which, moveover, is quickly extended in the axial direction is produced.

Abstract: A reservoir for a master cylinder including an upper reservoir section forming a portion of a float damping chamber and a lower reservoir section forming a portion of the float damping chamber. The upper reservoir section and the lower reservoir section are so dimensioned so that when they are fastened together, they define the float damping chamber at least one metering orifice formed along their mating surfaces. This metering orifice allows fluid to flow between the float damping chamber and the reservoir of the master cylinder in a controlled manner. Thus, a float device provided within the float damping chamber will not be susceptible to initiating false signals.

Abstract: The invention concerns an improved system for windshield wipers in vehicles. An induction motor is used, in which speed is accurately controlled by controlling frequency of power supplied to the motor. The induction motor may be of the consequent-pole type, which ordinarily does not produce sufficient torque. Addition of (a) auxiliary tooth slotting and (b) skew has raised the torque produced to acceptable levels.The invention includes a control system, which senses excess load on the motor, which occurs as the windshield dries, and reduces motor speed, subject to a minimum, in response.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement for conditioning and evaluating the signals emanating from wheel sensors in a first stage determines the sensor(s) supplying the highest useful signal at very low wheel speeds. The signal from the most sensitive sensor is delivered when the wheel speed is below the predetermined speed threshold. Above the speed threshold, however, the signal from a sensor arranged on a driven vehicle wheel is used as the vehicle speed signal. The circuit is especially suitable for anti-lock and traction slip control systems which supply speed signals which can also be evaluated for other vehicle control or regulating systems.

Abstract: A modulator device is disclosed for a spread spectrum communication system which generates a modulated signal from incoming data. The device includes a QPSK portion for separating the incoming data into two data channels and for further spreading the two channels over a wide bandwidth according to a predetermined spreading code. A phase mapping element coupled to the QPSK portion for processing both channels in order to minimize spectral regrowth of the modulated signal by preventing the RF envelope deviation from going close to zero. Pulse shaping elements coupled to the phase mapping element for further processing each channel in order to improve the modulator spectral efficiency and minimize adjacent channel interference. A quad-mixer coupled to the pulse shaping elements for combining both channels into a recombined signal and for further modulating the recombined signal according to a predetermined carrier frequency.

Abstract: In a method of controlling the braking pressure as a function of the rate of pedal actuation, by way of a braking pressure generator which is driven by an independent force when an actuation threshold is exceeded, the actual values of the pedal travel and the vehicle deceleration or the braking pressure are determined during partial braking operations, and the actual values are compared with the nominal values or series mean values. Correction factors are derived from the respective deviation of the actual values from the nominal values, and an adaptation factor is determined in a learning process over successive partial braking operations. To determine the actuation threshold, the basic value of the threshold is multiplied by the adaptation factor.

Abstract: A vehicle fan assembly for circulating air to cool an engine. The fan assembly has a central hub; an outer, circumferential ring with an inner surface disposed around the hub; a plurality of blades, each blade having a root connected to the hub, a tip connected to the inner surface of the ring, and a span between the root and the tip, the blades extending generally radially outward from the hub to the ring; and at least one bladelet having a base connected to the inner surface of the ring, a free end, and a span between the base and the free end. Preferably, a plurality of bladelets are disposed alternately with the blades on the inner surface of the ring around the circumference of the ring. The span of each bladelet is about 40% to 50% of the span of the blades. The tips of the blades and the bases of the bladelets are connected to the ring over the full width of the blades and the bladelets, respectively. Finally, each bladelet has a planform with an elliptical profile.

Abstract: A modular pin mounted caliper assembly is provided for use in a disc brake. The modular caliper assembly can be angled with one or more other modular caliper assemblies. Each caliper segment has a housing with a piston disposed in an inboard portion thereof for movement in an axial direction. A pair of flanges extend from opposite sides of the housing and are axially offset from each other enabling the connection and alignment of a plurality of segments. The resulting caliper can be used in a wide variety of vehicles despite changes in brake torque requirements. The modular caliper assembly includes a plurality of inboard and outboard brake shoe pairs. Each brake shoe has a pair of pin engaging features extending from opposite outboard ends of the brake shoe. Like the caliper segment flanges, the pin engaging features are axially offset from one another, enabling the shoes to be overlapped on common pins.

Abstract: A hydraulic bake system with electronic anti-lock control includes a multi-circuit braking pressure generator, electrically operable hydraulic valves, low-pressure accumulators which accumulate the pressure fluid that is withdrawn from the wheel brakes in the period of braking pressure reduction wheel sensors, and circuits are used to evaluate the sensor signals and to generate braking pressure control signals. The braking pressure in each wheel is controlled individually by the hydraulic valves. The filling ratio of the low-pressure accumulators or the residual volume is constantly determined and the pressure fluid discharge to the low-pressure accumulators is modified in the course of a control operation as a function of the length of the control and the filling ratio. Initially, there are no restrictions on the anti-lock function, while the rate of fluid flow is drastically reducted in the course of control.

Abstract: This invention relates to a carbon brush for an electric motor. These carbon brushes are guided in tubular brush holders and are pressed against a commutator. Furthermore, the brushes of the present invention include inclined side edges so that the front frontal surface has a trapezoidal cross-section. The consequence thereof is that, when sliding along the commutator, the commutator bars will always support the side edges over the major part of their length. The ratchet effect is thus suppressed.

Abstract: A connector system includes a receptacle that is small and assures precise alignment of mating contacts and terminals. The receptacle includes a circuit board (32) with a laterally-extending row of traces (42), and a receptacle housing (36) with a top wall (44) lying above the traces to form a cavity (16) between them. A plug front portion has a row of contacts (60) for entering the cavity and engaging the traces. The top wall has a row of cam surfaces (120) while the plug contacts have front portions with cam follower locations (112) that slide down along the cam surfaces. This causes trace-engaging locations (114) on the contacts to move down against the traces. The top wall has a row of downwardly-projecting ribs (72) that form the cam surfaces. The plug housing (62) has a row of separators that fit into the spaces between the ribs.

Abstract: A connector is provided for use with a microcircuit card that has contact pads on its lower face, which assures that connector contact blades fully engage the card pads when full insertion of the card is detected. The connector includes a body with a contact body portion that holds the card-engaging contacts and a switch body portion that holds a switch with an actuator. The body portions are integral and have coplanar upper faces which assures precision relative positioning of the card-engaging blades and the actuator that detects full insertion of the card. The switch body portion is preferably offset from the contact body portion, which facilitates routing of circuit board conductors when the connector is mounted on a circuit board, especially where the connector has surface mount terminals. The switch actuator has a fixed rear end and two forward arms, one for depression by a card and the other for depressing and releasing a snap dome.

Abstract: A method for recognizing spoken utterances of a speaker is disclosed, the method comprising the steps of providing a database of labeled speech data; providing a prototype of a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) definition to define the characteristics of the HMM; and parameterizing speech utterances according to one of linear prediction parameters or Mel-scale filter bank parameters. The method further includes selecting a frame period for accommodating the parameters and generating HMMs and decoding to specified speech utterances by causing the user to utter predefined training speech utterances for each HMM. The method then statistically computes the generated HMMs with the prototype HMM to provide a set of fully trained HMMs for each utterance indicative of the speaker.

Abstract: A hydraulic brake system with skid control is provided with digitally switchable inlet and outlet valves. An inlet valve includes a variable flow area valve control that is actuated as a function of differential pressures in order to reduce the valve noise.

Abstract: The invention relates to a digitally adjustable crystal oscillator having a quartz crystal and a monolithic integrated oscillator circuit including a series combination of a first frequency-adjusting capacitor C1 and a second frequency-adjusting capacitor C2 connected in parallel with the quartz crystal and comprising parallel-connected first capacitance stages and parallel-connected second capacitance stages, respectively, and an inverter circuit connected in parallel with the quartz crystal and comprising a feedback resistor R.sub.K, the output of the innverter circuit being connected to a load resistor. The inverter circuit comprises parallel-connected inverter stages, and switching elements are provided within the inverter stages and cqapacitor stages in such a way that a respective one of the inverter stages as well as a first capacitance stage C.sub.1i and a second capacitance stage C.sub.2i are switchable into or out of circuit by means of a control signal I.sub.i.