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 control system for a gas turbine engine includes series-connected first and second metering valves for providing a metered fuel flow to an engine supply line. A downward failure condition in either valve is detected by a detector which produces a signal representative of such failure. A changeover device operates in response to the failure signal to place the system in a condition in which a sufficient metered fuel flow is maintained via the non-failed valve.

Abstract: A sensor mounting arrangement comprising a mounting component arranged, in use, to carry a moveable part of a sensor. The mounting component is coupled through a first load path to a drive component to move with the drive component. The mounting component includes an opening through which the drive component extends, the drive component defining an abutment surface which is spaced from the mounting component in normal use and is arranged such that, should the first load path fail, the abutment surface is moveable into engagement with the mounting component to transmit movement of the drive component to the part of the mounting component carrying the moveable part of the sensor through a second load path.

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 disc brake assembly is disclosed of the kind in which a friction pad (3) is applied to one face of a rotatable disc, in which the friction pad is provided with one or more protrusions (8, 9) which project from the leading radial edge in a circumferential direction, the radial thickness (r1) of the projection being small relative to the total radial thickness (R) of the pad, the arrangement being such that in the event of tilting of the pad assembly with respect to the disc, where the brake is in the off position, contact between the protrusion and the disc prevents contact between the rest of the pad and the disc. Preferably, one protrusion is provided at each corner of the pad. This helps to reduce wear of the disc producing judder vibration during braking by reducing disc thickness variation.

Abstract: A fully hydraulic brake power generator/master cylinder unit (10) for a vehicle brake system has a housing (12) with a bore (14) which is formed therein and in which a primary piston (16) is arranged sealingly and displaceably. Located in the bore (14) is a first pressure chamber (22), one boundary wall of which is formed by one end wall (20) of the primary piston (16). In order to actuate the unit (10), there is an input member (60) which is displaced during actuation. A hydraulic booster stage (38), which has a booster chamber (44) with an inlet for hydraulic fluid under pressure, acts on the primary piston (16). In order to improve the simulation of brake pressure feedback via the input member (60), a spring arrangement (70) is provided, with a first spring (72) and a second spring (74) which are connected in series. The spring force of the second spring (74) is detectably greater than the spring force of the first spring (72).

Abstract: An injector assembly comprising an injector (3) and a wall (1) having an inner surface (2) defining a cavity receiving the injector (3). A peripheral surface portion of the injector (3) and a corresponding portion of the cavity inner surface (2) are configured to inter-engage such that force applied to the injector (3) in a predetermined direction causes mutually oppositely directed reaction forces perpendicular to the applied force which tend to laterally compress the injector (3), for relieving lateral stress within the injector (3). Additionally, an injector (3) for fitting in a cavity of an injector assembly, the injector (3) including an axially extending portion (10) comprising at least two peripheral irregularities in an otherwise substantially regular lateral cross-section.

Abstract: An electrically-operated disc brake assembly for vehicles is disclosed in which a friction member is adapted to be applied to a rotatable brake disc by a brake-applying apparatus including an electric motor, and transmission in the form of a linear actuator comprising a screw device adapted to apply an axially-directed brake-applying force to the friction member in response to operation of the motor. The screw device comprises inner and outer co-operating screw-threaded members, and one of the members is adapted to co-operate with the armature of the electric motor.

Abstract: A fully hydraulic brake booster/master cylinder unit (10) for a vehicle brake system has a housing (12) and a bore (14) which is formed therein and in which is arranged sealingly and displaceably a primary piston (16) which is coupled to an input member (40) for transmitting an actuating force to the primary piston (16). Located in the bore (14) are a first pressure chamber (22), one boundary wall of which is formed by one end wall (20) of the primary piston (16), and a first booster chamber (46), one boundary wall of which is formed by the other end wall (50), located opposite the end wall (20), of the primary piston (16). The first booster chamber (46) has an inlet for hydraulic fluid under pressure which is used for boosting the actuating force. In order to bring about additional brake boosting comfortably and as required, there is arranged in the bore (14) a second booster chamber (48), to which hydraulic fluid under pressure can be supplied independently of the first booster chamber (46).

Abstract: An outwardly opening fuel injector comprises a valve needle movable within a bore and engageable with a seating to control the supply of fuel from the bore, the needle being moveable outwardly of the bore to move the needle away from its seating, the needle being biased towards its seating by a spring, the spring engaging a spring abutment arrangement associated with a part of the needle remote from the part thereof engageable with the seating, the spring abutment arrangement further acting to guide movement of the needle.

Abstract: A rotor for use in an electric machine and a rotary electric machine utilizing such a rotor, the rotor comprising a rotor body provided with a plurality of slots, each slot housing electrical conductors of two independent rotor coils, the conductors being secured in position by an outer wedge member, an inner wedge member being located between the outer wedge member and the conductors, the rotor including pole tips defining load bearing lips located adjacent the radially outer edges of each slot, wherein a part of each coil projects beyond the respective lips in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the coil.

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 an outer valve needle, an inner valve needle slidable within a bore formed in the outer valve needle, an inner end of the inner valve needle being located within the bore, the inner end of the inner valve needle being provided with a recess whereby the application of fuel under pressure to the bore deforms the inner valve needle to form a substantially fluid tight seal between the inner and outer valve needles. The inner and outer needles may be exposed to the fuel pressure within a common control chamber, a single actuator arrangement being used to control movement of both needles.

Abstract: A fuel injector comprising a valve needle slidable within a bore formed in a nozzle body, the valve needle including an axially extending fuel supply passage which communicates with at least one outlet opening provided in the valve needle, the end of the supply passage adjacent the at least one outlet opening being closed by a plug. The plug has an inner end region which is arranged to be located, in use, adjacent the, or at least one of the, outlet openings, and shaped to modify the flow characteristics of the fuel flow upstream of at least one of the outlet openings.

Abstract: In a valve arrangement with a first and a second fluid connection (7, 9), a valve element (3) which is biased into a first position by a spring arrangement (4), in which the first and the second fluid connections (7, 9) are blocked from each other, an actuation means (17) in order to bring the valve element (3) into a second position in which the first and the second fluid connections (7, 9) are in a primary flow connection (A), a relatively large flow cross-section between the fluid connections is to be made, on the one hand, the force to be exerted by the actuation means, on the other hand, is to be relatively low in order to save costs, efforts, as well as installation space.

Abstract: A vacuum brake booster (10) has a control valve housing (30) for a control valve (28) actuated by a bar shaped input member (34). A guide sleeve (42) is secured to the control valve housing and has a slot (68) aligned with a vent duct (62) in the control valve housing. A sensing plunger (36) is axially slidable in the guide sleeve by the input member, and a transversely extending stop bar (66) is fixed to the sensing plunger. The stop bar extends through the slot of the guide sleeve and into the vent duct. To improve flow through the vent duct, edges of the slot form axial stops for the stop bar, so that the axial extension of the slot defines the maximum stroke of the sensing plunger. Where the stop bar extends into the vent duct, the vent duct is obliquely oriented towards a working chamber (26), and has an axial extension considerably larger than that of the slot.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pressure accumulator which may be used in an electronically controllable vehicle braking system for a motor vehicle. In an electronically controllable vehicle braking system with a cylinder/piston arrangement (i.e., a master cylinder) providing a brake fluid , a brake pedal actuates the cylinder/piston arrangement to provide brake fluid acting on the brake of the motor vehicle. The cylinder/piston arrangement is connectable with a pump arrangement and the pressure accumulator.

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 electrical power-assisted steering system is disclosed comprising a brushless electric motor (1) which has a plurality of phase windings connected at a start point and in which a switching means (13) such as a relay is provided in at least one phase of the motor, the switching means being movable between a closed position in which current is able to flow in the phase winding and an open position which prevents current flowing in the respective phase in the event of a fault. Also disclosed is a substantially rigid connector assembly (19) onto which is mounted the switching means (13), conductors (20) for connecting the motor phase windings and a motor position sensor (21) to an associated motor control means (6), the connector acting as a support for the motor stator, which simplifies the steps involved in assembly.