Abstract: A hydraulic system with a hydraulic pump driven directly by an internal-combustion engine reduces the dimension, weight and number of component parts used in the state of the art systems while optimizing energy exploitation. A plurality of elements, one of which is a cam shaft adjusting device, are supplied with hydraulic pressure fluid by one and the same pump. A series of simplified hydraulic connections enables equivalent devices to be driven simultaneously by one or more pump circuits.

Abstract: An automotive door hinge assembly is provided with a hold-open device with a leaf spring member carried on a first part of a hinge assembly, and a compound roller carried on a second part of the hinge assembly, wherein the compound roller engages the leaf spring member with the combination of a flexible and resilient first material portion and a hard, rigid second material portion of the roller assembly during its motion between the door open and door closed positions. Preferably, the hard, rigid second material portion of the roller assembly is made of a single piece spool having a first, reduced diameter, annular shoulder interposed between two, longitudinally spaced, enlarged diameter, annular shoulders. To reduce noise, a synthetic bushing is preferably disposed between the spool and a roller pin of the hinge mechanism and the first annular shoulder has a roughened surface engageable with the first material portion.

Abstract: A voltage regulator contains a reference which provides a value for comparison by an error amplifier which generates a control signal in response to the deviation of the output to the reference. As many stages of the circuit as possible are connected to fixed potential points. The fixed potential points are fixed with respect to the regulated output voltage. This provides a voltage regulator which is insensitive to interference signals from the unregulated supply voltage. The interference signals from the supply voltage are further buffered by using relatively small capacitors within the circuit, rather than a large external filter means.

Abstract: A brake system includes a flow control valve as an inlet valve wherein a restrictor is arranged in the return line and a variable restrictor is arranged in the brake line. The resulting system achieves improved controlled behavior and a reduced capacity pump can be used.

Abstract: A connector is described which provides moisture proof sealing and electrical grounding of selected contacts, especially for coaxial contact devices. The connector includes a conductive shell assembly (20, FIG. 4 ) with a rear wall (40) that has a large opening (42) therein. An insulator device (50) lies in the shell assembly and at least one coaxial contact device (52) lies in the insulator device. A ground plane (60) formed by a sheet of electrically conductive material has an outer portion (62) trapped between the insulator device and the rear wall of the shell assembly, and has an inner portion (63) that directly engages the outer contact of the coaxial contact device to ground it. The shell assembly includes front and rear tubular shell parts (32, 34), with the tubular rear shell part having a greater inside width and length than that of the front tubular shell part.

Abstract: A mounting for a windshield wiper pivot shaft on a vehicle body panel supports the shaft for rotation about an axis of the panel. The mounting includes a transmission housing adapted to be rotatably seated on a first side of the panel. A key on the transmission housing and an associated keyway in the panel limits housing rotation in a first direction to a mounting position wherein an axis of the housing is aligned with the axis of the panel. The key has a retention surface which engages the panel to limit axial movement between the housing and the panel when the housing is in the mounting position, thereby passively retaining the housing to the panel. In one embodiment, a plurality of screws are installed from a second side of the panel opposite the first side and threadingly engage the housing. The screws are tightened in the first direction to rigidly fix the transmission housing to the panel, thereby maintaining the housing in the mounting position.

Abstract: A sealing element, formed of a substantially non-extrudable material, is configured with a taper at one edge or surface thereof. The element is set in a recess which obtains between interengaged components, with the tapered end exposed, externally. The tapered end is flat, and fairingly bridges across the recess to obviate any crevasses or notches, or voids in which product fluid can repose and create bacteria.

Abstract: A joint for brazing includes a male member having an external surface and a female receptacle having an internal surface. The external surface is positionable in face-to-face relationship with the internal surface when the male member is inserted within the female receptacle. A self-fixturing surface is provided on at least one of the male member and the female receptacle for centering the male member with respect to the female receptacle when the male member is inserted within the female receptacle and to provide substantially equal clearance between and around the male member and the female receptacle for proper capillary attraction of the metallic intermediate bonding material or filler alloy during brazing. The filler alloy is drawn by capillary attraction into the space between the meeting faces defined by the external surface of the male element and the internal surface of the female receptacle.

Abstract: A track assembly for a vehicle includes an upper track slidably mounted in a lower track. A seat belt buckle mounting bracket is attached to the upper track and connects a fixed seat belt to the upper track. The seat belt buckle mounting bracket includes first and second angularly disposed legs, with the first leg attached to the upper track and the second leg attached to a fixed seat belt buckle. The attachment structure mounts the seat belt buckle mounting bracket in a first, normal operating position in which the second leg of the bracket extends upward from a side wall of the upper track. The attachment structure permits the seat belt buckle mounting bracket to rotate from the first position under a force applied through the fixed seat belt to a second position in which the second leg of the bracket is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the upper track to place the first and second legs of the bracket in tension with the applied force.

Abstract: A device for measuring rotary motions having a signal generator ring which rotates with the rotating part and of a double-sided measuring coil. Within the core of the measuring coil there are a permanent magnet, which is magnetized perpendicularly to the coil axis, and two elongated pole shoes which are arranged on the pole surfaces of the permanent magnet and whose end pieces protrude from both sides of the coil and reach almost as far as the signal generator ring. The signal generator ring and the pole shoes are designed, arranged and attuned in respect of one another so that, during the rotary motion, the magnetic flux alternately passes via the end piece of one pole shoe to the end piece of the pole shoe arranged on the second pole surface, which end piece protrudes from the other side of the coil, and thereupon passes via the two other end pieces of the pole shoes. Provided as signal generator ring is a toothed wheel with inwardly directed teeth or several toothed wheels firmly coupled with one another.

Abstract: A windshield wiper control system improves vehicle windshield wiper operation by selectively controlling the motor speed of a dc motor that drives the wiper blade across the windshield. The motor speed is reduced for a portion of the wiper pattern adjacent the reversal points at each end of the wiper pattern. The motor speed is changed as a function of blade position by varying the duty cycle of an excitation voltage signal provided to a variable speed dc motor. The disclosed embodiment is useful for variable and continuous speed control in a vehicle wiper system.

Abstract: A damped piston assembly is configured for use in a vehicle anti-lock braking system pump includes a piston, an insert and an elastomeric annular element. The piston has an axial cavity in a piston end portion. The insert has a cylindrical portion slip fit to the axial cavity of the piston. The insert also has a lip at an insert end portion with a diameter larger than the axial cavity of the piston and less than or equal to an outside diameter of the piston. The an elastomeric annular element is positioned between the lip of the insert and the end portion of the piston. The elastomeric annular element defines a gap between an end of the cylindrical portion of the insert and a bottom of the axial cavity in the piston when the piston is in an unloaded condition.

Abstract: A system and method for maintaining a precise time standard among a system of orbiting satellites is disclosed. In an illustrative embodiment, atomic clock data is circulated among the satellites via RF crosslinks. Each satellite uses the received data as input to a Kalman process which acts to minimize the mean squared error among the satellite clocks to form a set of "ensemble clocks". The resulting ensemble clock values are then transmitted to an earth station where an offset between the ensemble clocks and Universal Time is computed. The offset is transmitted from the earth station to the satellites where it is used by the satellites to lock their on-board clocks to Universal Time, thereby creating a corrected system time. The corrected system time is transmitted, via RF crosslinks, to satellites not having operational on-board clocks. The satellites without atomic clocks employ phase locked loops to anchor their clocks to the corrected system time as it is received over the crosslinks.

Abstract: A wiper arm for cleaning windshields of motor vehicles. The fixing portion of the wiper arm is formed from sheet metal in a manner which is economical and strong.

Abstract: A polarity-reversal protection device for integrated circuits, comprising a substrate of a first conductivity type; a well region of a second conductivity type opposite said first conductivity type, within said substrate; a field effect transistor having drain and source regions within said well of said first conductivity type, said drain region being connectable to external circuitry to be protected from polarity reversal of a supply voltage, said supply voltage being applied to said source region via a low impedance; and resistor means, coupled to said well region, for enabling said supply voltage to be applied therethrough to said well region, said resistor means operative to sink current during undesirable polarity reversal of the supply voltage, thereby preventing damage to the external circuitry and to the FET itself.

Abstract: A pressure control valve with a valve-closing member which is axially movably guided within a valve housing and which is capable of adjusting a passage between a first pressure agent connection and at least one second pressure agent connection depending on its position being variable in respect of a valve seat, pressure agent transition ducts to be shut off or opened up directly one after the other by the valve-closing member being positioned between the first and the second pressure agent connections for the reduction of the noise of the valve, which said pressure agent transition ducts form a variable cross-sectional area of the valve opening.

Abstract: The relative amount of liquid and vapor flowing in a pipe is measured by mixing the vapor and liquid into a gaseous like single phase mixture and passing the mixture through a venturi constriction to accelerate it. The pressure drop across the venturi is measured as an indication of the velocity change which varies with the density of the mixture. Mixtures with more liquid generate more pressure drop. The average velocity of the pipe contents is also monitored to eliminate pressure drop changes that result from average velocity changes rather than density changes.

Abstract: Retaining element fixed within the piston opening which avoid any inadvertant extraction of the piston rod from the piston.The design provides a safe and easy to assemble means for fastening the piston rod within the piston which is capable of absorbing considerable tractive forces of said piston rod through said piston.The retaining member is preferably made of plastic material which resides between the piston rod and the piston.

Abstract: A vehicle seat adjuster includes a pair of spaced upper tracks, each slidably mounted in one of a pair of lower tracks. A seat support arm connected to each upper track slidably extends through a slot formed in each lower track. A rod extends between each pair of track assemblies and releasably engages a notch formed in each support arm and one of a plurality of notches formed in the lower track to releasably lock the upper track in a stationary position relative to the lower track. A bearing conforming to the shape of the upper track is interposed between each upper and lower track. Support members are connected to each lower track to anchor each lower track to a vehicle floor. Cooperating resisting elements are formed in each upper and lower track pair and inter-engage under deforming load of the tracks and bearing to resist separation of the upper track from the lower track.

Abstract: A mounting system for an engine cooling fan. The system includes a shroud for enclosing and supporting the fan and a bracket with a mounting seat for supporting the shroud. The shroud includes three twist locks circumferentially located at an angular distance of 90.degree. from each other. Each of the locks has an arm located at a side surface of the shroud and protruding outwardly radially from the side surface and a first cantilever extending from the arm at a substantially right angle to the arm.