Abstract: An electronic assembly is provided that has a housing receiving a motherboard arranged, in use, to carry control circuit components, and a circuit board carrying a lightning strike protection circuit, said circuit board including a first electrical connector, and the assembly further including a flexible cable electrically connected to the motherboard, the cable including a second electrical connector arranged to cooperate with said first electrical connector to electrically connect the lightning strike protection circuit to the motherboard, said first and second connectors being accessible from outside of the housing. The assembly may be used in aerospace applications.

Abstract: A fuel system for use with viscous fuels comprising a housing defining a supply passage through which fuel can flow, in use, from a source of viscous fuel towards a fuel pump, and a throttle member located within the housing and arranged to control the rate of fuel flow along the supply passage. The throttle member is angularly adjustable within the housing to adjust the permitted fuel flow rate between the source and the pump.

Abstract: A fuel injector comprising a fuel inlet arranged, in use, to receive fuel under high pressure from a source of pressurised fuel, an outlet and an accumulator volume located between the inlet and the outlet. A piezoelectric actuator is located within the accumulator volume and is operable to move a control piston to modify the fuel pressure within a control chamber.

Abstract: A brake and actuator assembly includes a brake housing (4), an actuator device (6) mounted on the housing, the actuator having a force transmission element (7) extending through an opening (8) in the housing and cooperating with an actuating member (10) of the brake within the housing. A seal (12) is arranged to seal around both the opening (8) and element (7) whilst permitting the latter to move in a direction longitudinally of the element for brake actuation. The sealing element has a portion (14A) arranged for sealing engagement with the member (10) at least when that member is in its inoperative rest position.

Abstract: A fuel injector comprises a valve needle biased by a spring towards a seating. An electromagnetic actuator arrangement is operable to vary the magnitude of the biasing force applied to the needle by the spring.

Abstract: An output stage for an electronic sensor including two transistors connected in series to a junction therebetween to form a push/pull arrangement relative to a pair of supply lines provided with fixed supply voltages that are different for each line that are connected with different ones of the two transistors. The junction between the two transistors being connected to a sensor output line. Each of the transistors is driven by a respective drive line from an amplifier which receives an input signal corresponding to a sensor input signal. A fault detecting circuit is provided which includes circuitry to detect an open circuit fault condition in either of the two fixed voltage supply lines to disconnect the signal drive line leading to the associated one of the two transistors which is connected to the respective supply line that has been detected to have an open circuit fault.

Abstract: A method of controlling the operation of a fuel injector of a fuel system using a control system of the type comprising an accelerometer associated with an engine and arranged to sense vibrations thereof, and monitor means arranged to monitor the output signal of the accelerometer to detect vibrations of the engine, is described. The method comprises applying a drive pulse to the injector, using the monitor means and the accelerometer to determine whether or not the application of the drive pulse results in combustion in the cylinder of the engine associated with the injector, and modifying the duration of the drive pulse to determine the minimum pulse length which must be applied to the injector to cause combustion.

Abstract: A fuel metering arrangement has a fuel flow metering valve, a pressure drop regulator valve arranged and operable to maintain the pressure drop across the metering valve substantially constant and a throttle device arranged and operable to regulate fuel flow upon failure of the regulator valve in an insufficiently closed or fully open position.

Abstract: A fuel metering system having a fuel pump operable to supply fuel at high pressure to a metering valve from which metered fuel is fed, in use, via a pressure raising valve to a gas turbine engine, a spill valve connected between the high pressure (HP) supply upstream of the metering valve and low pressure (LPp), and a restrictor device connected between the spill valve and low pressure (LPp), the pressure (LPf) arising at or upstream of the restrictor device, which varies according to spill flow through the device from the spill valve, being applied to the pressure raising valve, such that the pressure required to open the pressure raising valve varies in response to the amount of fuel spilled by the spill valve.

Abstract: A power switching circuit includes first and second semiconductor switches providing parallel paths connecting a load across a power supply. A circuit maintains the second switch in an off state except when the current in the first switch exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: A solenoid-controlled valve assembly comprises a solenoid (1) for controlling operation of a spool valve (2), and the solenoid is contained within a solenoid body (3). The spool valve comprises a spool (40) working in a bore (41, 42) in a spool housing (12), and the housing is, in turn, sealingly received in a spool body (10). The housing (12) may be of differential area and may be sealingly received in a complementary stepped bore (11) in the spool body, with the housing arranged in such a manner that when subjected to equal pressures over different area a resultant force tends to urge the housing in a given direction. In a modification the housing (12) may be resiliently biased away from the spool body (10) and relatively towards the solenoid (1) by a resilient member such as an annular ring (70) of elastomeric material, or a spring washer (71).

Abstract: A reversible gerotor-type pump having an angularly moveable reversing ring rotatably supporting an internally toothed rotor which in turn cooperates with an externally toothed gear received within the rotor and rotatable therewith about an axis parallel to but spaced from the axis of rotation of the rotor, and, magnet means magnetically attracting the rotor towards the reversing ring so as to provide drag between the rotor and the reversing ring at least at the commencement of rotation of the rotor relative to the reversing ring.

Abstract: An electronic braking system for trailers. A control system is incorporated into the braking equipment of a towing vehicle to provide a trailer braking command signal. This signal is regulated so as to balance the braking between the towing vehicle and the trailer through the assessment of forces in the coupling between the two vehicles. The assessment is made indirectly and is calculated from forces measured in the suspension components of at least two axles of the towing vehicle and the changes occurring therein during braking.

Abstract: An actuation unit for an electronically controlled hydraulic vehicle braking system, comprising a brake booster which can be actuated by a brake pedal and which comprises a master cylinder and a reservoir for hydraulic fluid, a first brake which is coupled with at least a first vehicle wheel and which is connectable with the master cylinder via an electronically controlled valve arrangement in a basic position or, in an actuation position is disconnectable from same, a brake pedal behaviour simulator which is connectable with the master cylinder and comprises a spring arrangement adapted to act against the hydraulic pressure from the master cylinder, and with which a characteristics modeling is associated.

Abstract: A contactor comprises first and second armatures which are urged towards contact-making positions by first and second windings, respectively. Each of the armatures displaces the other armature from its contact-making position when moving towards its own contact-making position. A controller actuates each of the windings before deactuating the other of the windings.

Abstract: A control method as described, the method being intended for use controlling the operation of a compression ignition internal combustion engine having an accelerometer associated therewith and arranged to sense vibrations of the engine, and a monitor arranged to monitor the output signal of the accelerometer, by monitoring the output signal during a detection time interval and a reference time interval, using the output signal during the reference time interval to compensate for background noise, and using the noise compensated signal in controlling the operation of the engine.

Abstract: A rotary solenoid is disclosed which comprises a support member, a U-shaped core secured to the support member such that a limb of the core extends through an opening provided in the support member, a coil encircling part of the core, the coil being carried by the support member, and an armature rotatably mounted upon the support member.

Abstract: A master cylinder (10) for a hydraulic vehicle braking system comprises a housing (12) which has a bore (14) extending along a longitudinal axis (A), whose one end is closed by an end wall associated with the housing (12) of the master cylinder (10) and whose other opposite end is sealingly closed by a closure element (16). In the bore (14) adjacent to the closure element (16) a piston (18) is accommodated sealingly and axially movable which can be actuated through same, which has a central valve (20) which enables a fluid connection between a fluid reservoir and a pressure chamber (28) which is defined in the bore (14) by the end wall and the piston (18). When the piston (18) is not actuated, the central valve (20) is held in the open position by means of an abutment member (transverse pin 34) acting on the closure element (16).

Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation valve assembly for an internal combustion engine comprising a passage communicating in use with the exhaust of the internal combustion engine and a rotary valve in said passage controlling flow of exhaust gases through said passage to mix in use with the inlet charge of the engine.

Abstract: A fuel injector comprising a nozzle body, a bore provided in the nozzle body within which a valve needle is slidable, the valve needle and the bore being shaped to include a guide region where the valve needle and the bore are of substantially identical diameter, the engagement between the valve needle and the bore in the guide region serving to guide the valve needle for sliding movement within the bore, wherein the fuel injector includes a collar extending around part of the nozzle body, the collar engaging the nozzle body to restrict dilation of the bore in at least part of the guide region.