Abstract: A gas concentration sensor voltage and current (in both heater on and heater off states) are detected and compared with predetermined thresholds, respectively, by a microcomputer. Based on a combination of the comparison results, the presence or absence of trouble in the system is detected and trouble location in the system is specified. In addition or alternatively, the sensor voltage is compared with thresholds to determine whether it is outside of a normal zone. The voltage may be actually detected or calculated. If the voltage is outside the normal zone, sensor voltage is reduced to zero or restricted to a predetermined limit.

Abstract: A process is proposed for determining the characteristics of a motor vehicle's built-in shock absorbers. The vehicle is driven onto a ramp support which is then quickly removed, causing the vehicle to drop onto a base whose distance below the ramp support corresponds to the residual rebound clearance associated with the particular vehicle design; the changes in the so-called wheel contact force when the car hits the base are measured. The process is characterized by the fact that the vibration characteristics of the body and one wheel at a time are measured, the measurement results, together with the measured values of wheel contact force, are fed into the known differential equations governing damped oscillations, and the characteristic data for the vehicle structure, namely, the body- and wheel masses, spring stiffness and damping constants, are calculated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing automotive electronic control units and batteries and other equipment for identification and performance purposes utilizes neural networks to effect waveform analysis on a digitized signal. Identification of electronic control units is by means of correlation of resultant waveform data with corresponding data on known units. Battery testing is by waveform analysis of the battery current during transient connection of a load by a transistorized switching circuit. In both cases the method of testing includes a network learning stage and an ensuing recognition test routine for characteristic waveforms.

Abstract: A glow sensor which combines functions of a diesel engine glow plug with an ion sensor for sensing engine combustion initiation and characteristics includes a ceramic rod retained in a supporting ceramic sleeve carried by a metal shell mountable in an engine cylinder head. The ceramic rod includes a heating element in a glow tip at the inner end of the rod which, in use, extends into an engine combustion chamber or pre-chamber. A conductive material such as platinum or palladium is coated on the lower end of the glow tip and connected by a conductor with a source of electric voltage. In use, the voltage produces a current carried by electrons generated by ionization of the combustion chamber gases during combustion. The current varies with the degree of ionization and the amount of electrons generated during various phases of the combustion event. The resulting information is usable in controlling engine operation or evaluating its operation for test purposes.

Abstract: A wheel information estimating apparatus, which includes: a detecting device for detecting a wheel motion state relating to a movement of a tired wheel of a motor vehicle; an estimating device for estimating wheel information relating to the tired wheel, on the basis of the wheel motion state detected by the detecting device; and a modifying device for modifying an element relating to estimation of the wheel information, so as to improve an accuracy of estimating the wheel information. The element to be modified is selected from a movement of a center of rotation of the tired wheel as viewed in a plane in which the wheel is rotated, a signal applied from the detecting device to the estimating device, and an internal parameter used by the estimating means for estimating the wheel information.

Abstract: A sample collecting apparatus of a space craft capable of collecting samples securely by collecting them through a single step by using a small size, light weight and simple structure device. The sample collecting apparatus of the space craft includes a canister having a hollow container installed vertically and movably to the space craft, a drill having a spiral shaped groove on an external circumference thereof which passes vertically through a bottom surface of the canister and is protruded and retracted therethrough, while rotating; and a support member for installing the canister and the drill to the space craft so that they can be vertically moved. Expansion and retraction of the support member and rotation and vertical movement of the drill are conducted by a single driving means.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus and method for determining the traction and coefficient of friction of a material on a roller. First and second rollers transport the material. Encoders are coupled to each roller, and a motor is coupled to one of the rollers. The motor applies a forward and reverse torque to the first roller, wherein the material slips relative to the roller. A computer coupled to the encoders calculates the traction and coefficient of friction.

Abstract: The monitor for uncommanded braking controls uncommanded brake application on one or more wheels during takeoff of an aircraft. Brake pedal application is determined, brake pressure is measured, and brake pressure is compared with a selected threshold brake pressure. A brake pressure applied signal is generated when the brake pressure exceeds the threshold brake pressure. The pedal application signal and brake pressure applied signal are received by a fault latch logic circuit that generates a fault latch output signal when uncommanded braking has occurred. A test inhibit signal is also generated when weight is not applied on the wheel. The test inhibit signal is also input to the fault latch logic circuit so that uncommanded braking can occur when the aircraft is in the air and weight is off the wheel. The monitor disables or latches off the shutoff valve when pressure is detected without pedal application.

Abstract: A method for developing a tire model for use with an effective road profile in testing an automotive vehicle on a spindle-coupled road simulator defines a flat surface road plane in a multiple coordinate reference system to represent the effective road profile. The coordinates comprise at least four of a plane vertical deflection, a plane radial contact angle, a plane lateral contact angle, a steer contact angle, a lateral displacement and a longitudinal displacement. A tire is excited over a predetermined range while on a tire test apparatus for developing the tire model. The tire test apparatus includes an articulated running flat belt platform moveable so as to contact the tire, the flat tire contact plane defining a coordinate reference system to represent the effective road profile in multiple degrees-of-freedom.

Abstract: In the case of a process for checking the operability of a secondary air pump in an internal-combustion engine in a motor vehicle using an electronic control unit, the control unit detects the rotational speed of the internal-combustion engine and the throttle valve angle in the intake system of the internal-combustion engine. Using a characteristic diagram stored in the control unit, as a function of the detected rotational speed and the detected throttle valve angle, the rate of air flow into the cylinders of the internal-combustion engine is estimated. Using an air flow rate sensor, the overall rate of air flow is sensed which is composed of the air flow into the cylinders of the internal-combustion engine and the secondary air flow delivered by way of a secondary air pipe into an exhaust gas duct.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for diagnosing an exhaust-gas probe mounted in the exhaust-gas system of an internal combustion engine for conducting the exhaust gas of the engine. The exhaust-gas probe is mounted downstream of the catalytic converter. The output signal of the exhaust-gas probe is monitored as the output signal changes in response to changes of the concentration of at least one of the components of the exhaust gas. The rate of the change is applied as a criterion as to the state of deterioration of the exhaust-gas probe.

Abstract: A testing method for a tire, which enables reproduction of deterioration by aging under actual use and evaluation endurance after the deterioration by aging appropriately and effectively. The method includes a process to promote deterioration by oxygen, wherein a tire is inflated with concentrated oxygen having oxygen concentration x of not less than 30 which is indicated by the expression (I)x=(PO/PT).times.100 (%)where PT is the total pressure of inflated gas (kgf/cm.sup.2) after completing inflation and PO is the partial pressure of oxygen (kgf/cm.sup.2) with respect to the total pressure. After inflation of the tire with high concentrated oxygen, the tire is left for a given period and then actual endurance test of the tire is carried out, with the oxygen remaining in the tire or replaced with air.

Abstract: In a vehicular control apparatus having a bare-chip mounting type vehicular electronic unit and an associated vehicular actuator, a predetermined higher bias voltage (approximately 7 volts higher than a normal bias voltage of approximately 5 volts) is supplied to a micro controller of the electronic unit so as to impose a high stress on the micro controller under a burn-in condition such that the micro controller is exposed to a burn-in high temperature for a burn-in time duration. After the above-described burn-in process, an external initial failure testing purpose program is transmitted to a serial communication circuit of the micro controller so that the micro controller executes instructions of the external initial failure testing purpose program to evaluate an operation of the micro controller to determine whether an initial failure in the micro controller occurs.

Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring device for a vehicle having several wheels comprises a central receiving and evaluation device at the vehicle. Each a receiving antenna (A, B, C, . . . N) is arranged stationarily at the vehicle structure adjacent to at least each active wheel and thus attributed to said specific wheel. All said receiving antennas (A, B, C, . . . N) being connected via each a distinctive connecting line (a, b, c, . . . n) with a single receiver means. Said receiver means comprises a multiplexer-circuit connecting per time interval only one single selected receiving antenna or several selected receiving antennas with said receiving means. Further, said receiver means sensing a field strength of each specific radiogram and thus selecting said specific receiving antenna comprising the highest field strength of a received radiogram during said specific time interval.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in installing a through-the-wall sensing device in a laboratory fume hood. The apparatus includes a sample tube with an outlet and a plurality of apertures and the tube is interconnected to an anemometer. The method includes placing the outlet in a number of positions inside of a fume hood to simulate a sidewall adapter for a through-the-wall sensing device in order to locate an optimum position for a through-the-wall sensing device. The method also includes fixing the sample tube in a number of positions within the fume hood while variably covering some of the apertures to simulate numerous locations and configurations for an averaging tube used with a through-the-wall sensing device. Therefore, an optimum location and configuration for an averaging tube can be readily determined.

Abstract: A method for measuring strain on a structure having a bore and an untethered fiber-optic strain gauge embedded in the bore, which includes the steps of inserting a coupler portion of a fiber-optic cable into the bore in operative relationship to the fiber-optic strain gauge, and using an optical cavity length measurement device attached to the distal end of the fiber-optic cable to measure the strain on the structure. The coupler portion of the fiber-optic cable is removed from the bore after the strain on the structure has been measured. In an illustrative embodiment, the structure is a fastener, e.g., a rivet, used to join together the aluminum skin and the airframe of an aircraft, the bore being provided coincident with the central, longitudinal axis of the rivet.

Abstract: In an in-ground vapor monitoring device for use with a conventional, hollow stemmed drill rig including a novel swivel assembly which attaches to a drill rod and which has a central passage formed therethrough. A fluid outlet port and an outlet channel joining the outlet port and central passage are formed in the swivel assembly. The device further includes an auger having an inlet port formed on its operational end which is connected by an inlet channel to a central passage. A vapor filter is disposed in the inlet channel. By applying an external vacuum source, vapor from a borehole is drawn off through the inlet port and filtered by the vapor filter. A gas chromatograph or other vapor analyzer is connected to the outlet port to analyze the drawn off vapors. The novel features of the auger portion of the device may be provided in the form of an auger plug engageable with a conventional auger.

Abstract: A device for starting an occupant crash protector can output, as a start signal, a logical product of an output of a collision determining mechanism and an output of a non-collision determining mechanism. The collision determining mechanism detects a collision including an impact that does not require a start-up. The non-collision determining mechanism detects only a collision that requires a start-up using a value obtained by subtracting a value varied with time from the output of an acceleration sensor and integrating the result of the subtraction.

Abstract: An air flow rate measuring device for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The air flow rate measuring device has a casing provided downstream from an air cleaner element for purifying intake air to the internal combustion engine, a duct connected fluidly to and downstream from the casing, and an air flow meter provided in said duct, for measuring an air flow rate taken into the internal combustion engine. A cross-sectional area of a connection portion between the casing and the duct, taken perpendicularly to the direction of air flow is the minimum cross-sectional area in the duct.

Abstract: A control device for an automatic motor vehicle transmission has electrohydraulically actuated gearshift elements which increase the smoothness of shifting during a shifting operation, especially a shifting operation in a traction mode, by varying hydraulic pressure for actuating the gearshift elements. In a first phase of the shifting operation, in which idle travels of the gearshift elements are overcome, the pressure is rapidly made to approach a desired value through the use of a control signal (open-loop control) with a high duty cycle. In a second phase of the shifting operation, in which a transmission input moment changes from the gearshift element of an old gear over to the gearshift element of a new gear, the hydraulic pressure is built up with a high duty cycle.