Abstract: A system for detecting worn brake linings contains sensors located at predetermined depths in the brake linings. Each brake has a corresponding lamp so a problem with a worn lining can be located. The system contains quick-release connections for each sensor, jumper wires for connecting the two sensors per wheel, resistors, diodes and lamps. The system is self-troubleshooting, and can determine the presence and location of worn brake linings, loose wires, open circuits, shorts, grounds, defective bulbs, and blown fuses. The determination of the presence and location of a problem is made through use of lamps which may be off, glowing at half brilliance, or glowing at full brilliance under specified conditions. When the ignition is off, all the bulbs are off. When the ignition is "on", all the bulbs glow at half brilliance if there are no problems. If all the bulbs are out, it is indicative of a power failure.

Abstract: A spark plug is installed in an internal combustion engine to monitor engine performance. The spark plug includes a core having a central longitudinal axis and defining a first bore extending along the central longitudinal axis. A layer of insulation surrounds the bore. A sensor is located within the bore. A first electrode is embedded in the core remote from the bore. The electrode includes a firing portion at a firing end of the spark plug. A ground electrode is arranged adjacent to the firing portion of the first electrode.

Abstract: In a system using a gas concentration sensor such as an A/F sensor having a heater, a microcomputer detects an abnormality in a heater power supply control. After the detection of abnormality, the computer reduces the electric power to the heater to a minimum and determines whether the heater has restored its normal operation. The power supply to the heater is stopped and returned to the normal power supply control when it is determined that the detected abnormality continues and discontinues during the reduced power supply period, respectively.

Abstract: An angled holder for mounting thereon a pickup coil for detecting rotational angles of a crank shaft of an internal combustion engine is composed of a base portion, a bent portion and a reinforcing portion connecting the both of the base and bent portions. The reinforcing portion serves to suppress an excessive stress imposed on a bending line along which the base and bent portions are bent due to high vibration of the engine. Accordingly, the angled holder having the reinforcing portion can withstand high vibration and its damage or breakage due to the engine vibration is prevented. Output signals from the pickup coil mounted on the angled holder are accurate and stable because the pickup coil is positioned accurately against the engine. The angled holder is made of a metal plate by a simple presswork at a low cost.

Abstract: A vehicle trip information manipulation device capable of collecting and recording travel related data from a motor vehicle and receiving broadcast data enabling computation of real time factors. The data collected and recorded includes the time and date of each trip, the beginning and ending odometer reading of each trip, the maximum, minimum, and average speed of the trip, and the fuel and maintenance information for the vehicle. The received information may include traffic reports, connecting travel information such as flight status, and various other business data. The invention also includes a means for downloading the collected data to an external device, such as a computer or a printer.

Abstract: A method for analyzing the driving behavior of motor vehicle wherein a car's driveability is measured easily on a test stand by conducting tests with an actual vehicle to obtain measurement variables describing driving behavior; then defining at least one rating (Dr) indicating the car's driveability as a function of one or more measurement variables; then preparing a simulation model to represent dependencies between the individual measurement variables and, in particular, to compute the rating (Dr) from a set of predefined measurement variables which can be obtained both from the actual vehicle and on a test stand; and then calibrating a dynamic test stand with the use of the simulation model.

Abstract: An automatic deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle operates so as to secure appropriate tire grip performance, depending on the conditions of a road surface on which the vehicle runs turning, and restrain excessive rolling of the vehicle body, thereby stabilizing the turning behavior of the vehicle at all times. While the vehicle is turning on a high-friction road surface without undergoing yaw moment control, a safe vehicle speed is computed within the rollover limit of the vehicle. While the vehicle is turning on a low-friction road surface under yaw moment control, on the other hand, a safe vehicle speed that ensures satisfactory tire grip performance is computed in accordance with an estimated road friction coefficient. When the vehicle is about to exceed its safe speed as it turns, it is automatically decelerated to the safe speed or below. Thus, the vehicle can be prevented from spinning, drifting out, or rolling over.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a dynamometer control for a dynamometer including a control field coil and an air gap, which dynamometer control includes a main current line connected to the control field coil and including an electronic switch, means for generating a crossing signal incident to a sinusoidal crossing associated with current flow in the main line, and a micro-processor connected to the crossing signal generating means and to the electronic switch and including a counter which is operable to count between a given count and a zero count at a given counting rate, which includes means for adjusting the given count to provide an adjusted given count, which is operable, when the count is zero, to render the counter inoperable and to output a signal which turns on the electronic switch so as to provide current flow to the control field coil of the dynamometer until the counter is again activated, and which is operable, in response to receipt of the crossing signal, to activate the counter, to load the counter wi

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a system and method for monitoring the exhaust emissions of combustion engines such as diesel engines equipment used in underground mining operations. The system comprises a gas analyzer capable of measuring the concentration of at least one exhaust gas from the exhaust emissions, the analyzer being coupled to a computer that processes the data collected from the gas analyzer. The processed data is then displayed to the operator on a computer screen, so that the monitoring is carried out in real time.

Abstract: An electrical switch assembly includes a member by which a user selects one of a plurality of functions. Operation of the member applies different amounts of pressure to a transducer that has an impedance which changes in response to the applied pressure. An input circuit produces an output voltage which varies in relation to changes in the impedance of the pressure transducer. A voltage comparator compares the output voltage to a plurality of voltage ranges and in response to the voltage comparison, an output driver produces at least one electrical signal that indicates which one of plurality of functions the user has selected.

Abstract: In a driving recorder, angular velocity data and acceleration data of a vehicle are sequentially measured and stored into a memory along with time information, thereby updating the data stored in the memory in sequence. If a shock due to crash or the like occurs at the vehicle, a given time period is set for further data storage. When the time is up, the data storage into the memory is stopped. Thus, the memory holds at least the angular velocity data and the acceleration data for the set time period after detection of the occurrence of shock and for a given time period before detection of the occurrence of shock. Upon analysis, a travel analyzer is connected to the driving recorder for reading out the data stored in the memory. Based on the read-out data, the travel analyzer produces data representing a travel history of the vehicle and visually expresses such travel history data.

Abstract: In engine abnormality detection, the engine output is measured, and values of a specific operating variable of the fuel system, the lubrication system, the cooling system, the intake system, or the exhaust system of the engine, are measured and the specific values are converted to corrected data values at the equivalent rated power point, which are compared to corresponding threshold values in order to detect an abnormality in the respective system.

Abstract: A prescribed threshold level Dth for misfire judgment for each cylinder is recorded in a misfire judgment level retaining means 102 of a misfire judgment processing section 100. A combustion state parameter operation means 106 measures revolution speed of a multi-cylinder engine for each cylinder, and attains as a combustion state parameter a differential in revolution speed between a specific cylinder and other cylinders. In a misfire judgment level correction means 104, a plurality of combustion state parameters concerning the specific cylinder is attained, and the above-mentioned threshold level Dth is corrected as a function of the parameter. A misfire judgment processing means 108 compares the combustion state parameter with the threshold level Dth and diagnoses a combustion state in the specific cylinder. Namely, the corresponding cylinder is judged to be misfire when the combustion state parameter of the specific cylinder exceeds the prescribed parameter.

Abstract: An articulated support assembly threadably attached to a threaded fastener element on a wheel hub that is rotatably supported on an axle by a bearing assembly. The support assembly carries a dial indicator having an actuator, and is selectively adjustable to align the actuator with the axle longitudinal axis and to place the actuator in engagement with a fixed reference surface provided on the end of the axle. A selectively operable clamping device locks the support assembly against further movement following adjustment. Axial force applied to the hub first in one direction and then in an opposite direction moves the hub between the limits of the bearing internal axial clearance. The support assembly and dial indicator move with the hub, and cooperation between the actuator and the fixed reference surface moves the actuator the same axial distance as the hub to provide a measurement of the bearing internal axial clearance.

Abstract: An fuel supply amount control system for an internal combustion engine comprises an evaporative fuel passage extending between the fuel tank and the intake system of the engine, and a control valve arranged across the evaporative fuel passage, for opening and closing the evaporative fuel passage. A pressure sensor detects pressure within the fuel tank. The opening of the control valve is controlled such that the interior of the fuel tank is held under negative pressure. After termination of negative pressurization of the fuel tank, the amount of fuel supplied to the engine is increased according to an amount of increase in the pressure within the fuel tank detected by the pressure sensor.

Abstract: A turn lock bezel mounts an instrument gauge on an instrument panel by exerting axial retention forces that force a bezel ring against a front margin of a mounting aperture in the instrument panel and a dial graphic and dial plate of the gauge against a rear edge of a retaining ring that holds a window glass in the bezel ring and passes axially into the mounting aperture. In a first embodiment, when the bezel is turned a small acute angle in one direction, it can be extracted from the mounting aperture leaving the gauge behind in the instrument panel, and when turned a small acute angle further, the bezel can still be extracted, but it now extracts the gauge too. In a second embodiment, a lost motion connection is provided between the bezel and the gauge so that finger tip clearance will exist between the rear edge of the bezel ring and the instrument panel before the bezel begins to extract the gauge.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hot shutdown monitor for an internal combustion engine, in which the engine control module (ECM) obtains engine operating information from various sensors and calculates an instantaneous load factor of the engine based upon various factors such as engine speed, engine fueling, exhaust manifold temperature, oil temperature, etc. This instantaneous load factor is preferably heavily filtered with the output of the filter determining a cumulative weighted load factor that represents a condition of the engine (i.e. the heating and cooling of the engine components). The present invention monitors for a shutdown request both from the operator (i.e. ignition keyoff or from other ECM control algorithms (i.e. engine protection). When an engine shutdown is detected, the weighted load factor is compared to a predetermined threshold. If the threshold is exceeded, a fault indicator is set within the ECM and the current engine data is captured for later retrieval.

Abstract: In order to optimize combustion in a four-stroke spark-ignition engine with direct fuel injection, the conditions of charge flow are improved by providing the top surface of each piston with two longitudinal guiding ribs located at a distance from each other and a cross-guiding rib running transversely thereto, thus providing an H-shaped configuration.

Abstract: Apparatus for testing and evaluating the performance of an automobile under simulated conditions includes torque applicators for connection to wheel shafts of an automobile and for applying torque forces to the wheel shafts, movable supports supporting the torque applicators and a force applicator for connection to the automobile to apply forces to the automobile. A control associated with the torque applicators and the force applicator varies the torque forces applied by the torque applicators to the wheel shafts and varies the forces applied to the automobile by the force applicator.

Abstract: An on-board evaporative emission leak detection system and method that detects leakage from an evaporative emission space of a fuel system of an automotive vehicle. A test includes an initialization, or stabilization, phase during which a differential between pressure in the evaporative emission space and atmospheric pressure is created, and then varied, over time, within a range of differential pressures suitable for performing a leak detection test. A leak size measurement is then obtained using an algorithm.