Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a flexible flat cable of a vehicular clockspring whose conductors are directly attached to the contacts of a mounting header. The flat cable comprises a series of conductors “printed” in-between a pair of insulating layers. The conductors are directly connected to the contacts of a mounting header, which partially form the connection module of a clockspring. Other devices or cables within the vehicle can than quickly mate to the clockspring connection module, via a corresponding connector. This method of termination is in contrast to prior art clockspring cables which typically weld their cable conductors to rigid printed circuit boards or overmolded metallic insert grids.

Abstract: A receptacle assembly is provided having a gasket interposed between a heat sink and the receptacle, in order to provide EMI shielding and limit leakage from an opening in the receptacle that allows the heat sink to engage an electronic module inserted in the receptacle cavity. The heat sink may have a groove in which the gasket is mounted and upon mounting the heat sink to the receptacle, the gasket surrounds the opening in the receptacle and provides a resilient shield to maintain a seal during movement of the heat sink due to insertion of the electronic module within the receptacle.

Abstract: An apparatus for occupant detection in a vehicle, including a dielectric substrate with a reference plane, and a plurality of electrodes forming a capacitive array on said dielectric substrate and coupled to said reference plane. Each of the plurality of electrodes being formed of a conductive polymer thick film ink. The plurality of electrodes and the reference plane are connected to a controller that detects a change in capacitance between the plurality of electrodes and the reference plane, and identifies the presence and type of occupant in the vehicle.

Abstract: A multi-port receptacle assembly is provided having a housing forming multiple ports and having electrical connectors mounted within the ports so that upon assembly with a base via mounting features between the base and the housing a uniform multi-port assembly is provided that may be easily transported and installed to a motherboard.

Abstract: An electrical resistance heating element has an axially elongated flat carbon fiber tow, which includes a multiplicity of continuous axially parallel carbon filaments. The tow is sandwiched between two layers of polyester sheet material and bonded to only one of the layers. The other of the layers overlies the tow in direct contacting engagement with and unconnected relation to the tow and is connected to longitudinally extending marginal portions of the one layer along transversely opposite sides of the tow. The heating element may be produced by a continuous forming process.

Abstract: A sensor pad for controlling the deployment of an automobile airbag. Weight sensing pad 10 is used in the seat 54 of an automobile, (not illustrated), to detect the presence of an occupant on the seat. Weight sensing pad 10 is used in conjunction with the vehicle's airbag control module in order to allow deployment of the airbag, in the event of a collision, only if the seat is occupied by a person of a preselected weight. Weight sensing pad 10 is defined by a bladder member 15 having an interior volume subdivided into a plurality of individual cells 42 in fluid communication with each other and that is filled with a non-compressible fluid 18, such as silicon or a silica gel of medium viscosity. A pressure tube 22 is in fluid communication with bladder 15 and is in further fluid communication with a pressure activated electronic transducer 26 which in turn is in electronic communication with the airbag controller 30.

Abstract: A flat electrical cable and a modular rotary anvil for assembling a flat electrical cable wherein the flat cable includes an upper and lower layer. The upper layer has ribs protruding along its length that are substantially parallel to one another, and continuous substantially parallel and adjacent seams formed therebetween. Conductors are placed between the upper and lower layers adjacent the seams. The present invention may have upper and lower polyester layers having copper conductors therebetween and the seams ultrasonically welded in order to provide a flat electrical cable for various applications such as incorporation in an automobile clockspring. The modular rotary anvil includes multiple removable and interchangeable segments or inserts which provide the ability to impart a smooth or knurled textured surface pattern to the work-piece. piece. Other inserts include cutting inserts which provide for a seam on the work-piece while a the same time cuts the work-piece along a seam.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an electrical transceiver module having a peripheral device connector to receive copper plugs having a profile equal to or larger than the outer profile of the standard module housing profile. An embodiment of the invention provides an RJ-45 receptacle as the peripheral device connector of an SFP (Small Form Factor Pluggable) transceiver.

Abstract: A warning system for an ignition switch that includes a housing of the ignition switch and a plunger having at least a portion slidably received in the housing, a key abutment end and a contact abutment end opposite the key abutment end. The plunger is movable between first and second positions with respect to the housing along a longitudinal axis thereof. First and second contacts are positioned in the housing. The first and second contacts are spaced from one another when the plunger is in the first position. The first and second contacts are in contact when the plunger is in the second position. At least one of the first and second contacts is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A modular rotary anvil for mounting on an ultrasonic welding machine. The modular rotary anvil includes a first end segment configured to attach to the ultrasonic welding machine, a second end segment configured to attach to the ultrasonic welding machine, and at least one insert having a first side and a second side. Each of the first side and the second side is configured to attach to at least one of other inserts, the first end segment, and the second end segment.

Abstract: A control document template streamlines the creation of control documents and facilitates consistent entry of data. A multi-page spreadsheet file incorporates the design and process failure mode effects analysis pages, the control plan, tools for forming the process flow diagram, the work instructions, and the packaging specifications. A macro sorts the failure mode effects analysis pages by risk priority number without overwriting the original data.

Abstract: A multi-port receptacle assembly is provided having a housing forming multiple ports and having electrical connectors mounted within the ports so that upon assembly with a base via mounting features between the base and the housing a uniform multi-port assembly is provided that may be easily transported and installed to a motherboard.

Abstract: A canister assembly is provided including electrical connector having a plate which may be moved between a first and second position in order to lock a wire to the electrical connector. The electrical connector provides for a wire trap contact in order to quickly insert a conductor within the electrical connector through an end face of the electrical connector. The electrical connector includes flanges which allow it to be easily mounted to a canister and enclose an opening of the canister. The plate provides for a strain relief for the wires terminated by the electrical connector.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards an electrical contact assembly in a steering wheel that allows the contacts of a primary circuit board to move relative to the corresponding contacts of a secondary circuit board without disengaging the electrical connection. Thus, any minor deviation in the positioning of the primary or secondary circuit board may be compensated for without the loss of electrical contact. The primary circuit board is located in the center of the steering wheel around the steering column. The primary circuit board includes left and right arms which engage and cooperate with left and right button assemblies on the steering wheel to actuate various vehicle controls, such as radio volume and tuning control, in the vehicle. The arms include leaf-spring contacts which resiliently and non-fixedly engage the secondary circuit board which is connected to control buttons on the steering wheel.

Abstract: The contact switch assembly comprises a rotating housing with a stalk having a hollow shaft portion, a tip portion extending forwardly from the shaft portion and a contact arm extending downwardly from the shaft portion. The tip portion extends out from the housing to engage an adjacent inclined surface. As the housing is rotated, the stalk moves along the inclined surface so that the contact arm is moved vertically and brought into engagement with a printed circuit board (PCB) while simultaneously moving laterally across the PCB's surface. The vertical motion is caused by the rotation of the housing, while the lateral motion is caused by the stalk being forced laterally by the inclined surface. The combination of both the vertical and lateral motion provides a self-cleaning mechanism by the movement of the contacts in the lateral direction.

Abstract: A clockspring for electrically connecting an airbag of a vehicle to crash sensors. The clockspring including a housing that has an inner chamber, and a flat electrical cable with an upper insulator layer, a lower insulator layer connected to the upper layer along substantially continuous parallel spaced-apart seam, and an intermediate layer comprised of individual strands of conductors which lie adjacent and substantially parallel to the seams and the conductors do not have an adhesive residue thereon. The flat electrical cable is mounted in the chamber of the clockspring. Seams positioned between adjacent conductors have a textured surface pattern, and seams positioned along edges of the flat electrical cable have a substantially smooth surface pattern.

Abstract: A position sensor for determining the angular position of a steering wheel. The shaft of the steering wheel is connected to a code disk and turn ring of the sensor so that when steering wheel is rotated, the coded disk and turn ring are also rotated. The code disk is a flat circular disk having a series of cut-outs or bits around its perimeter. A light emitting diode shines a light through the cut-outs and is read by a photo detector which determines the angular position of the code disk. The turn ring is fitted on the outside of the code disk and rotates in a hypocycloidic circle so that for every full revolution of the code disk, the turn ring rotates through a smaller angle. The turn ring is placed over a series of Hall sensors to determine the number of revolutions of the code disk.

Abstract: A clockspring with a housing that includes a stationary member having a first wall and a hub member rotatably coupled to the stationary member having a second wall. A flat cable is wound between the first and second walls. The flat cable has opposite first and second ends with the first end being coupled to the stationary member at a first connection area and the second end being coupled to the hub member at a second connection area. A flexible strain relief member is integrally formed as one-piece with one of the first and second walls proximate one of the respective first and second connection areas with one of the first and second ends of the flat cable being disposed between the flexible strain relief member and the one of the first and second walls.

Abstract: A multifunctional switch for any automobile application having a need for a multiple detent switch. The switch includes a button that is moveably connected to a base. The switch includes a first lever connected to the button at a point of the first lever that is closer to a first end of the first lever than a second end of the first lever. The switch also includes a first tactile bridge fixed to the base. The first tactile bridge is adapted to be contacted by the first end of the first lever and thereby close a first switch. The switch further includes a second tactile bridge fixed to the base. The second tactile bridge is adapted to be contacted by the second end of the first lever and thereby close a second switch.

Abstract: An operating device having a rotatable crank drive which can be actuated by repeatedly pressing and releasing a knob or push-button. The push-button is thus alternately fixed in an operating position, i.e. the out position, and a locking position, i.e. the pressed-in position. A rotatable locking ring which can be axially displaced in an elastic manner and the body of the operating device include crank or link elements which are alternately distributed around the circumference, and in which the knob or push-button can be securely locked in a precise position.