Patents Assigned to Lucas Industries
  • Patent number: 5806492
    Abstract: A fuel pump comprises a distributor member having a plunger reciprocable within a bore. A shoe and roller arrangement is associated with the plunger, the roller of which cooperates with a cam surface to move the plunger under the influence of the cam surface. Drive means is provided for driving the shoe and roller arrangement, the drive means including a member having a bore of circular cross-section, the shoe of the shoe and roller arrangement being reciprocable within the bore of the drive means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries
    Inventor: Peter A. G. Collingborn
  • Patent number: 5803049
    Abstract: An engine fuel system including a solenoid actuated fuel control valve (16) which is energized to cause fuel delivery to the associated engine. The valve is initially closed to achieve pilot delivery of fuel by a high current pulse supplied to the solenoid winding (7) and is then allowed to open under the influence of a spring, the opening movement of the valve member being controlled by supplying current to the solenoid winding. Finally by supplying further current to the winding the valve member is closed to achieve closure of the valve for the main delivery of fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries
    Inventor: Anthony Thomas Harcombe
  • Patent number: 5798624
    Abstract: A motor control circuit for a d.c. commutator-type motor includes a semi-conductor driver circuit with a current sensor which provides an output voltage signal representing the instantaneous current in the motor. A detector circuit analyses the output signal of the sensor to provide pulses indicating the motor shaft position. The detector circuit includes a level-shifting, scaling and filtering circuit which substantially removes frequency components below a predetermined level and a pulse generator driven by the level shifting, scaling and filtering circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries
    Inventors: Robert A. Wilke, David P. Weichmann
  • Patent number: 5795998
    Abstract: Disclosed is a flow sensor comprising a cylinder and a piston movable within the cylinder and dividing the cylinder into first and second chambers. The first chamber communicates with an inlet and the cylinder has an orifice which cooperates with the piston to define an outlet from the first chamber. The area of the orifice varies with the position of the piston within the cylinder. The apparatus operates to vary the pressure in the second chamber so as to move the piston in response to fluid flow to maintain a substantially constant pressure drop between the inlet and outlet, each unique axial position of the piston within the cylinder indicating a particular flow rate. A transducer senses the position of the piston and thus the direction and rate of flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries Public Limited Company
    Inventor: Trevor Stanley Smith
  • Patent number: 5794983
    Abstract: A clamping sleeve (12) for joining a pressure hose (14) with a metal braided sheathing with a fitting (10) comprises a tubular metal base member (40) with a first end which faces the fitting (10) and an opposite inlet end. At least in the area of the inlet end, the base member (40) is provided with a hollow cylindrical plastic insert (42) which extends at least to the inlet end of the plastic insert (40) the inner diameter of which in its axially inner end portion with respect to the base member corresponds at least approximately to the inner diameter of the base member (40) in a portion axially adjacent to the plastic insert (42). In the axially outer end portion of the plastic insert (42) the inner diameter of same continuously increases towards the axially outer end in order to prevent notch effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited company
    Inventor: Michael Peter Melvin
  • Patent number: 5787931
    Abstract: A valve arrangement is disclosed which comprises a body provided with a bore, first, second and third passages communicating with the bore at axially spaced locations. A valve member is engageable with a first seat to control fluid flow between the first and second passages. A valve element is engageable with a second seat to control fluid flow between the second and third passages. A spring biasses the valve element away from the second seat, and an extensible member interconnects the valve element and the valve member. The valve member is thus biased toward the first seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries plc
    Inventor: Michael Peter Cooke
  • Patent number: 5788024
    Abstract: A shaft (34) is supported in the bottom (22) of a casing (20) and is rotatable for mechanical brake application. A ramp assembly (40) which is fixed to the casing and designed as an annular plate is supported on the bottom (22) around the shaft (34) and prevented from rotating by an off-center twist stop (42), and it is centered in the casing (20) in a way bypassing the shaft (34). Moreover, a rotatable ramp assembly (50) is arranged inside the casing (20) so as to be axially displaceable and is connected to the shaft (34) for torque transmission. The rotatable ramp assembly (50) is supported in such manner on the ramp assembly (40) which is fixed to the casing that it converts torque applied to it by the shaft (34) into an axial actuating force (B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited co.
    Inventor: Manfred Meyer
  • Patent number: 5778673
    Abstract: A brake cylinder means (1) for a motor vehicle, comprises a cylinder/piston means (2) adapted to be operated by a brake pedal means for generating pressure in a hydraulic brake system of the motor vehicle, characterized in that the cylinder/piston means (2) is provided in an outer cylinder means (3) in an axially movable manner, a spring means is provided to resiliantly bias said cylinder/piston means (2) against said outer cylinder (3), in an normal actuation position said cylinder (2a) of said cylinder/piston means (2) being essentially non-movable with respect to the piston (2b) of said cylinder/piston means (2), such that the cylinder/piston means (2) being movable against the spring forces of said spring means (4) in said outer cylinder (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited company
    Inventors: Gregor Poertzgen, Bob Uzzell
  • Patent number: 5781103
    Abstract: A cruise control system for a road vehicle having apparatus which, when cruise control is engaged, is arranged to inform the driver of the vehicle when a maximum braking force allowed by the cruise control system is being applied, so that the driver can make a decision as to whether or not to take over control of the vehicle from the cruise control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries Public Limited Company
    Inventor: Simon Peter Gilling
  • Patent number: 5778925
    Abstract: A pressure regulation valve is disclosed which comprises a housing including first and second ports, a support for slidably supporting a tubular member defining a valve seat against which a valve element is engageable. The tubular member and valve element are spring biased into engagement with one another. In use, the application of pressurized fuel to the first port pushes the tubular member against the stop, the valve element being able to leave the valve seat in order to permit fuel flow through the valve. If the second port is at a higher pressure than the first port, the valve element moves into engagement with the valve seat, the application of a high pressure resulting in the valve element and tubular member moving until the valve element engages the support, further movement of the tubular member permitting fuel flow through the valve from the second port to the first port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries Public Limited Company
    Inventor: Michael Peter Cooke
  • Patent number: 5778754
    Abstract: A valve assembly (10) for controlling a pneumatic brake booster comprises a valve housing (16) with a first and a second valve seat (18, 20) as well as with a valve body (26) adapted to be applied to both valve seats (18, 20). In one position of an operating member (24) the valve body (26) is lifted off the first valve seat (18) only, while in another position of the operating member (24) it is lifted off the second valve seat (20). Radially outside the valve housing (16) an annular third valve seat (64) and a control sleeve (60) surrounding the valve housing are arranged, which as an additional valve body can be axially moved by means of the operating member (24) relative to the valve housing (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited company
    Inventor: Manfred Kaub
  • Patent number: 5775306
    Abstract: An advance mechanism for a pump comprises a fluid operable piston arranged to have pressurized fluid applied to a first end thereof to adjust the axial position of the piston. The arrangement further comprises means for applying fluid under pressure to a part of the piston remote from the first end thereof in order to apply a torque to the piston. In one embodiment, the means for applying comprises a passage extending within the piston, the passage communicating with the first end of the piston such that high pressure fluid is received by the passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries plc
    Inventor: Christopher Wood
  • Patent number: 5777223
    Abstract: A measuring system for linear and angular movements with a first length or angle sensor (3) which operates in accordance with a first measuring method and which converts an input value (s, alpha) in the form of a linear or angular movement into an electrically processible first output value (UPOT) is further developed to increase the functional reliability and to avoid "coomon model" errors in such a manner that a second length or angle sensor (1) which is mechanically coupled with the first length or angle sensor (3) is provided which operates to a measuring method that is different from the first measuring method, and which converts the linear and angular movement (s, alpha) into an electrically processible second output value (UPULS), with the first and second output value (UPOT, UPULS) being available for subsequent processing and evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited company
    Inventor: Jens Peter Kohrt
  • Patent number: 5775785
    Abstract: An anti-skid braking system for wheeled vehicles having fluid actuated brakes associated with the vehicle wheels, has speed sensors associated with the vehicle wheels, a control device responsive to speed signals from the speed sensors to actuate a pressure dump device to periodically release the fluid pressure applied to the brake of any wheel which is determined to be about to lock and to later re-apply the actuating pressure to that brake when the tendency of that wheel to lock has reduced, pulsing of the pressure dump device at intervals during the pressure re-apply phase to cause a repeated interruption to the re-application of pressure to that brake. The pulse timing of the pulsing of the pressure dump device is controlled by the occurrence of wheel angular deceleration being determined to be equal to or in excess of a predetermined threshold value, the magnitude of which is dependent upon events from the previous anti-lock braking cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries PLC
    Inventors: Alan Leslie Harris, Mark Ian Phillips
  • Patent number: 5772290
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the brake pressure in a vehicle brake system equipped with an electronically adjustable brake booster (10), comprising an actuator (22) which transmits the actuating movement of the brake pedal to a master brake cylinder and has assigned a path limiting element (80) which limits the axial actuating movement of the actuator (22) in that it is received between abutments (90, 92), the apparatus being characterized in that a switch is actuated by the path limiting element (80) together with one of the abutments (90), said switch supplying a signal to the brake booster when the path limiting element (80) abuts the one abutment (90).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited company
    Inventors: Helmut Heibel, Hans-Werner Renn, Erwin Michels, Jens-Peter Kohrt, Werner Dieringer, Kurt Mohr
  • Patent number: 5769508
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hydraulic power unit for a vehicle braking system comprising an electronic controller (22, 24) arranged in a housing (12), a valve block (14) for accommodating electromagnetic valves for the control of hydraulic fluid in the braking system, and a pump motor (16) for a pump delivering a hydraulic fluid, with the housing (12) of the controller (22, 24) being connected with the valve block (14) and the pump motor (16) and is characterized in that a wall (12a) of the housing (12) at its outer surface (12a') facing the valve block (14) carries at least one solenoid (20) for the electromagnetic valves in the valve block (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited company
    Inventors: Leo Gilles, Helmut Gegalski
  • Patent number: 5769189
    Abstract: In order to improve an electrically actuatable automotive parking brake with mechanical emergency actuation, the brake pads (52, 54) of the parking brake, which may be either a disk brake or a drum brake, can be applied or released via gear arrangement (100) arranged within or at the brake. The gear arrangement (100) has one power input and one power output, with the power input being coupled with the one end of a flexible shaft, the other end of which being arranged remote from the brake can be coupled with a manual crank, in order to be able to actuate the parking brake mechanically in the case of a failure of the electric actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited company
    Inventors: Helmut Heibel, Hermann-Josef Geilen, Werner Dieringer
  • Patent number: 5771481
    Abstract: A cruise control system for a road vehicle having means for the establishment of a number of interlock conditions which, if broken, cause the cruise control system to adopt an intermediate condition wherein, if the vehicle is still moving, the cruise control system is arranged to be disabled, and, if the vehicle is stationary, the cruise control system is arranged to hold the vehicle at rest until either overridden by the driver or positively reselected by the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries Public Limited Company
    Inventor: Simon Peter Gilling
  • Patent number: 5765116
    Abstract: A video camera or equivalent sensor is mounted on a vehicle and used to detect the lane markings on the road (usually the white painted lines). An associated signal processor (11) estimates the vehicle's lateral position in relation to the lane markings. An electric motor (4) coupled to the steering mechanism (1) is used to provide a torque input to the steering which may either assist or oppose the steering torque from the driver. The processor (11) is designed to assist the driver to maintain the vehicle's lane position by holding the vehicle at a set-point using a biasing torque. This simulates the effect of the lane being cambered upwards towards the lane edges. However the driver is able to override or cancel the effect if the driver applied steering torque exceeds a prescribed torque threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited company
    Inventors: Russell Wilson-Jones, Raglan Horatio Andrew Harold Tribe, Michael Appleyard
  • Patent number: 5762506
    Abstract: A rotary electrical connector comprising first and second relatively rotatable housing parts, a spacer provided between the housing parts and rotatable with respect thereto, an elongate conductor carried, at one end, by the first housing part and, at the other end, by the second housing part, the conductor defining a first coiled portion between the spacer and the first housing part and a second coiled portion between the spacer and the second housing part, the first and second coiled portions being wound in opposite directions, and a bearing locating the spacer for rotational movement within the housing defined by the first and second housing parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries Public Limited Company
    Inventor: Daniel J. Du-Rocher