Abstract: An engine speed control apparatus wherein the upper limit of engine speed can be set and then not be exceeded once a key-operated switch has been activated to an "off" position. The key can be removed from the switch so that the operator cannot exceed the maximum selected engine speed.

Abstract: An air cushion vehicle having a low drag, high stability non-scooping skirt system including closed loop finger sleeves. An enlarged bag combines to provide a more responsive skirt profile. The sleeves of this invention are trimmed at an angle to the supporting surface, thereby exposing the sleeve opening to the air cushion. The sleeve is maintained at the air cushion pressure unless the vehicle rolls enough to submerge and close the sleeve opening. A pressure build up occurs as the opening is submerged and a significantly greater differential pressure is obtained with an enhanced restoring moment. The interior wall of the sleeve that faces the air cushion is angled slightly inward on the bow and side seals to allow momentary collapse of the sleeve and release of an extraordinary force of a rough sea. In addition the effective air cushion area, the platform of the vehicle, is extended to its maximum to provide greater stability.

Abstract: An indicator assembly, which is used with an adjusting mechanism, designates an initial or "zero" position of a movable headlamp component. The adjusting mechanism includes a housing, an adjusting screw which is disposed through the housing, and a driving mechanism which is operatively associated with the screw. A first end of the screw is operatively associated with a movable headlamp component. The indicator assembly includes a hollow, vial-like member which is attached to the housing and a follower member. The second end of the screw is enclosed within the hollow member. The follower member is operatively associated with and selectively positionable on the hollow member to provide an indication of the zero position of the adjusting screw.

Abstract: A steering wheel (12) incorporates an air bag unit (22). The air bag unit has a cover door (30) with a transducer (38) molded in a deformable front wall (35) of the cover door. The transducer can be a force sensitive resistor (38) which is operably connected to an electrical circuit (42) that actuates a horn (44) when the circuit senses a change in the resistance of force sensitive resistor (38). The force sensitive resistor (38) produces a suitable change in resistance when hand pressure is exerted on the front wall (35).

Abstract: An automotive door trim panel includes a carpet face panel that is electromagnetically welded to the lower portion of a thermoplastic substrate. The thermoplastic substrate is prepared by depositing metal particles on a bond surface of the thermoplastic substrate. Direct current is applied to the coil of an electromagnet disposed beneath the substrate to hold the metal particles on the bond surface. A molded-to-shape carpet face panel is then pressed against the mold surface while alternating current is applied to the coil of the electromagnet to electromagnetically weld the carpet face panel to the thermoplastic substrate.

Abstract: An interior trim panel for a motor vehicle has an opening for deployment of an air bag and a discrete air bag door that is attached to the interior trim panel for closing the opening and for being opened by an air bag when it is deployed. The door includes a retainer that hinges the door to the trim panel and a covering that includes a frangible flap at an end of the retainer that holds down an end of the door and breaks away when the air bag is deployed. An alternate door has a bracket attached to the retainer that moves the hinge line rearward. The covers of the trim panel and the discrete air bag door retainers may be simultaneously attached to their respective retainers in two variations of a conjoined operation.

Abstract: A thermoplastic automotive interior trim panel of uniform wall thickness has an integral outwardly projecting storage pocket of complex curvature to which is added an extruded elastomeric thermoplastic edge molding to form a relatively large smooth rounded edge at the opening to the pocket. A top margin of the pocket is curved inward so that the pocket edge faces inward and the edge molding is held in place by internal ribs that snap onto locking tabs formed integral with the curved top pocket margin at locations spaced therealong. In one embodiment, the locking tabs are located on the sides of the top margin of the pocket at the pocket edge and the edge molding extends completely over this edge to be located thereby.

Abstract: A soft panel has a layer formed from thermoplastic fiber clusters comprised of a very high percentage of crooked matrix fibers and a very low percentage of crooked binder fibers with a lower melt temperature and wherein the fibers have a plurality of bends that entangle the fibers together in the clusters. The fiber clusters are blown onto a first foraminous screen that defines a retainer side of the fiber layer and through which air is being drawn. A layer of thermoplastic powder is sprayed onto a thermoplastic veil draped over the fiber cluster layer while the latter remains on the first screen and air is drawn through this screen and the veil to retain the powder layer in place. A hot shell skin tool is then applied to the powder to form a flexible skin fused to the fiber cluster layer. The fiber cluster layer with the flexible skin joined thereto is then adhered on its retainer side to a preformed rigid retainer to complete the panel.

Abstract: A hydromechanical differentiating system for actuator dynamic stiffness enhancement and dynamic load damping. A free floating spool valve receives a pressure signal and moves in opposite directions away from a null position. When the valve moves in response to an increase in the pressure signal it compresses fluid in a chamber connected at the opposite end of the cylinder in which the spool moves and simultaneously connects a source of fluid under pressure to the chamber causing the valve to return to its null position. Conversely, if the pressure signal decreases, the spool valve allows the fluid in the chamber to expand moving the valve away from the chamber and simultaneously connecting system return to the chamber to decrease the fluid pressure in the chamber and cause the valve to return to its null position.

Abstract: A spray suppressor for an air cushion vehicle comprising inflatable loop elements fixed to the air cushion seal finger sleeves and positioned immediately outward from the air cushion boundary. The elements are pressurized to a pressure less than the air cushion and greater than the ambient pressure to capture spray and supplement the seal performance.

Abstract: A filled aliphatic thermoplastic urethane automotive air bag door tear seam insert is formed of a polyol, a chain extender, an organic diisocyanate, an antioxidant, a urethane catalyst, and a weakening filler wherein the filler is present in a range of approximately 60% to 80% by weight and is selected from the group consisting of anhydrous calcium sulfate, nepheline syenite and hollow silica-alumina alloy microspheres and combinations thereof. The filler may be only one of the group members or any combination thereof and in either equal or unequal proportions. The insert is adapted to be molded in place in a cover skin cast there about. The cast cover skin including the tear seam insert may be coated with a light stable paint; or for light stability and color matching, the urethane elastomer forming the cover skin and insert is formulated to include an ultra violet stabilizing agent(s) and a color pigment(s) in certain critical concentrations to obtain the desired effect.

Abstract: The molding apparatus includes a press (10) with a top mold (12) and a bottom mold (14). The top mold (12) has a die (32) with a contoured die surface (34) and gas passages (36). The bottom mold (14) has a die 44 with a contoured die surface (46). The die (44) is made from either a solid piece of material with gas passages or from a porous material. During operation of the molding apparatus, a workpiece (26) is placed in a mold cavity between the top mold and the bottom mold. The mold cavity (24) is closed to shape the workpiece. The workpiece is heated by hot gas supplied by a gas supply and recirculation system (52) when the diverter valves (68 and 70) are opened and gas flows from gas circulation fan 56 to the gas heater chamber (54) to the bottom mold (14), through the die 44, through the workpiece (26), through the die 32 and back to the inlet side of the gas circulation fan (56).

Abstract: A face type commutator (10) includes a hat shaped member (12) and an insulator hub (14) with an armature axis of rotation (22). The hat shaped member (12) has a plate portion (24) with a brush contact surface (26) in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation (22) and a cylindrical portion (16) that extends axially from the brush contact surface and defines a cavity (46). The hub (14) fills the cavity (46) and slots (42) in the cylindrical portion (16). Grooves (70) divide the plate portion (24) into a plurality of collector segments (72). A cylindrical sealing surface (76) is formed on the cylindrical portion (16) and portions of the hub (14) below the grooves (70). Tangs (30) integral with the cylindrical portion (16) below the cylindrical sealing surface (76) each have a radially extending leg portion (32) and a foot portion (34) that extends circumferentially from both sides of the leg portion to hold armature coil wires (40) on the leg portion.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming a reinforced plastic skin for an automobile interior trim structure. The method includes the steps of supplying a plastic material onto a mold surface, heating the plastic material to fuse it into a unitary layer, embedding a reinforcing material into the layer, and cooling the plastic and reinforcing materials. The method can be used to reinforce an air bag door cover by incorporating a tear seam into the plastic layer and embedding the reinforcing material into the layer such that it surrounds the tear seam. The reinforcing material aids in rupturing of the cover along the designated tear seam during deployment of the air bag. Also disclosed is an air bag door cover formed in accordance with the disclosed method.

Abstract: Spherical particles having a diameter between 0.007" and 0.040" are formed from melt extruded thermoplastic material suitable for casting on a heated mold surface and melting thereon to form a thin layer of material having a nominal thickness of 0.040" that is cooled and removed from the mold surface as a part having a porosity less than a visually observable threshold. The process includes the steps of providing microspheres formed of blended and melt extruded thermoplastic, plasticizers (if necessary) and pigment additives that constitute less than 5% by weight of the blend and shaped as a smooth round spherical particle. The microspheres may then be distributed as predetermined charge of such microspheres against the heated casting surface to melt the microspheres as a layer of thermoplastic material having a porosity less than 0.003 inches and thereafter cooling and removing the non-porous layer from the casting surface.

Abstract: Spherical particles having a diameter between 0.007" and 0.040" are formed from melt extruded thermoplastic material suitable for casting on a heated mold surface and melting thereon to form a thin layer of material that is cooled and removed from the mold surface as a part having a porosity less than a visually observable threshold. The process includes the steps of providing microspheres formed of blended and melt extruded thermoplastic, plasticizers (if necessary) and pigment additives that constitute less than 5% by weight of the blend and shaped as a smooth round spherical particle. The microspheres may then be distributed as a predetermined charge of such microspheres against the heated casting surface to melt the microspheres as a layer of thermoplastic material having a porosity less than 0.003 inches and thereafter cooling and removing the non-porous layer from the casting surface.

Abstract: A weapon stabilization system for an unbalanced gun tube pivotally mounted on a tank turret or other movable platform is disclosed. The system includes a muzzle position controller which accounts for flexion of the gun tube and which comprises a muzzle reference sensor and a muzzle deflection feedback circuit. The muzzle reference sensor provides a signal indicative of deflections of the gun tube. The muzzle deflection feedback circuit is responsive to this signal to adjust the position of the gun tube in a manner that accounts for the deflections of the gun tube. The gun tube is positioned using a hydraulic actuator with pressure feedback to the stabilization system. The system includes a feedforward controller to compensate for the positive pressure feedback due to dynamic external accelerations acting on the unbalanced gun tube.

Abstract: A process for producing a reinforced plastic motor vehicle bumper includes the steps of placing a woven roving (17) on a center section of a preform screen (10) that is retained by a vacuum draw from a suction fan (16). Chopped glass fibers (20) and a curable binder are sprayed onto the preform screen and woven roving. A second layer (22) of woven roving is placed onto the center section of chopped glass and first layer (17) of woven roving. Either the excess trim (39) is trimmed by a cutting die (50) before the preform is cured or the die is first cured and then the excess trim is trimmed by a cutter using a plastic base (35) in the screen that circumscribes the contoured section of the preform screen.

Abstract: A covered article such as an automotive trim panel comprises a substrate having a front surface to be covered, a back surface and a plurality of holes extending through it for vacuum drawing a trim cover stock against the front surface. The substrate has sets of parallel saw-tooth holder grooves in a peripheral margin of the back surface adjacent to an edge of the substrate for mechanically interlocking with marginal portions of trim cover stock and transverse manifold grooves that communicate with the holder grooves. An adhesive is applied to the front surface and the peripheral margin and the substrate is supported on a vacuum buck so that the peripheral margin overhangs the buck and the manifold grooves communicate with a vacuum source of the buck.