Abstract: A field emission device (200, 300, 400, 500) includes a supporting substrate (210, 310, 410, 510), a cathode (215, 315, 415, 515) formed thereon, a plurality of electron emitters (270, 370, 470, 570) and a plurality of gate extraction electrodes (250, 350, 450, 550) proximately disposed to the plurality of electron emitters (270, 370, 470, 570) for effecting electron emission therefrom, a major dielectric surface (248, 348, 448, 548) disposed between the plurality of gate extraction electrodes (250, 350, 450, 550), a charge dissipation layer (252, 352, 452, 552) formed on the major dielectric surface (248, 348, 448, 548), and an anode (280, 380, 480, 580) spaced from the gate extraction electrodes (250, 350, 450, 550).

Abstract: A misfire detection system and method for use in conjunction with an internal combustion engine. An engine cylinder has a pressure sensor disposed therein for providing a signal indicative of the pressure in the cylinder's combustion chamber. Compression pressure measurements are obtained at crankshaft angles reached prior to the top dead center position of piston travel. For crankshaft angles greater than that at which top dead center is reached, the pressure measurements are reflected about a vertical axis extending through the top dead center point. The reflected compression pressures for crankshaft angles reached after the top dead center point are subtracted from the actual compression chamber measurements obtained over those crankshaft angles during the power stroke of the engine.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining whether or not an air-fuel ratio sensor, which is arranged in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine to detect the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas, is activated. The apparatus has a heater for heating the air-fuel ratio sensor, a detector for detecting whether or not the air-fuel ratio sensor has reached a half-activated state to start changing the output thereof after the start of the engine, a unit for integrating power supplied to the heater from the start of the engine until the air-fuel ratio sensor reaches the half-activated state, a unit for estimating, according to the integrated power, the power to be supplied to the heater to bring the air-fuel ratio sensor to a full-activated state, and a unit for determining that the air-fuel ratio sensor is in the full-activated state once the estimated power has completely been supplied to the heater.

Abstract: The invention inspects a shock absorber installed in a vehicle between a vehicle body and a road wheel by manually moving the vehicle body in a generally vertical direction of the vehicle until the vehicle body initiates vibration in the vertical direction, detecting vertical displacement of the vehicle body, detecting load imposed on road surface by the road wheel, giving, as a damping force, the load detected at moment when the detected displacement is zero, and calculating a first derivative, with respect to time, of the detected displacement at the moment to give the result as a piston speed of the shock absorber at the moment. The damping force against the piston speed is compared with a predetermined damping force against the piston speed to evaluate whether the shock absorber has been deteriorated or not.

Abstract: The invention as disclosed herein teaches apparatus whereby the instantaneous dynamic static pressure and the steady-state static pressure may be simultaneously measured within a supersonic or subsonic gaseous fluid flow field. The dynamic static pressure is measured by an electronic transducer and the steady-state static pressure is measured by pneumatic means.

Abstract: A compression stroke indicator including an indication mechanism adapted to signal a user upon the application of pressure thereto. Further provided is an elongated elastomeric hose connected at a first end thereof to the indication mechanism. Also included is at least one hollow hose fittings having a first end connected to a second end of the elastomeric hose. Each hollow hose fitting further has threaded grooves formed in a second end thereof for allowing the screwable coupling of a second end thereof to a spark plug aperture of a combustion engine. Upon a pressure being applied to the hose by the engine, the indication mechanism signals a user.

Abstract: A Throttle body assembly (10) is provided for use in the air intake system of an internal combustion engine. The throttle body assembly includes a plastic throttle body housing (12) and a throttle position sensor (26) mounted thereto. The housing (12) and throttle position sensor (26) each have a mounting flange (20, 30), with one flange telescopically Insertable into a pocket in the other flange. A snap fit mechanism will securely hold the two mounting flanges together in the proper orientation.

Abstract: A high intensity discharge lamp has a light transmissive envelope and an arc tube located within the envelope. The arc tube contains an arc generating and sustaining medium as well as electrodes. A flare is sealed to the lamp envelope and the flare includes two electrically conductive lead-ins sealed therein, each of the lead-ins having a given diameter. A mica heat shield comprising a planar mica disc frictionally engages the lead-ins, the mica disc having a pair of lead-in receiving apertures therein, the receiving apertures having a diameter greater than the given diameter and each having an oppositely extending, radial slot extending therefrom, each of the slots having a width less than the given diameter. The mica heat shield is positioned on the lead-ins closely and adjacent to the upper surface of the flare by having the slots in frictional engagement with the lead-ins.

Abstract: A method and device for determining the green tack of rubber blends. To obtain reliable and reproducible measurement results it is proposed to use two specimens (40') of rubber blends, the green tack of which is to be determined. Each of the specimens (40') comprises a measurement surface area (42) having a convex curvature, with which the specimens (40') are placed one on the other. During a predetermined time the specimens (40') are compressed at a predetermined pressure and subsequently parted from each other at a constant rate to determine the maximum parting force. The curved measurement surface areas (42) are generated by a specimen (40) being placed on the specimen platform (34) of a specimen mount (26, 28). Subsequently an orifice disk (36) is placed on the specimen (40) and locked in place in the compressed condition, for instance, by being firmly bolted in place.

Abstract: A brake adjustment monitoring system, including a sensor having a movable actuator for mounting in or on a brake service chamber and circuitry which responds to the actuator's position to generate a display indicating whether the brake is correctly adjusted (after actuation of the brake). In preferred embodiments mounted in a motor vehicle having several brake assemblies each including a service chamber, a sensor is mounted in each service chamber, and a display panel mounted to the dashboard indicates the status of each brake assembly or each pair of the brake assemblies. Preferably, each sensor is designed for use with an air brake assembly including a service chamber, a push rod having one end outside the chamber and another end in the chamber, and a slack adjuster connected to the push rod's outer end.

Abstract: The automatic tire inflation status measurement system comprises a scale and a tire-deformation apparatus for automatically determining whether a pneumatic tire installed on a vehicle is underinflated. The scale plate is flush mounted with the road surface and measures the weight on the tire as the tire rolls across the plate. A second weight measurement is made by using a deformation bar which projects slightly above the road surface and causes the tire to deform as it rolls over the bar. Both the scale and deformation bar are connected to load cells, preferably the same load cells. The tire deforms as it rolls across the bar and weight on the bar vs time is measured by the load cells. Data from the load cells is collected by, for example, using a summing amplifier and a computer-operated data acquisition board. The peak reading on the scale and the peak value of the bar reading are used to calculate a ratio. This ratio is then compared to a threshold value to determine whether the tire is underinflated.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for storing various vehicle operating characteristics upon sensing a vehicle acceleration having a magnitude that exceeds a predetermined limit. In this manner, the vehicle owner or fleet manager can determine whether the vehicle operator uses the service brakes excessively.

Abstract: Apparatus and processes for measuring a correct weight of one or more objects subjected to predictable and/or unpredictable static and/or dynamic motion conditions.

Abstract: A back-to-back, single lap-joint test fixture and method provides for uniform shear strength determination in a lap-joint area at an adhesive bond plane between a low-modulus rubber-like elastic material substrate and a stiff panel both defining a single lap-joint specimen, two of which are disposed back-to-back with the rubber substrates being constrained from lateral deformation by respective aluminum housings each having a load-transferring lip pushing upon a substrate also being pulled by load transferring dowel pins pulling upon the rubber substrate while with a restraining clamp that restrains transverse movement of the housing and rubber substrate all so as to produce only shear-type failures based on the near-incompressible nature of the rubber materials in the two back-to-back single lap-joint specimens.

Abstract: In a contact-type vapor and particle sampling apparatus for collecting vapor or particles from a moving subject, a wand having a plurality of sampling holes is oriented so that the holes extend in the direction of movement of the subject. The external width of the wand is less than a characteristic dimension of the contour of the surface of the subject being sampled, and a central fluid flow passage in the wand is sufficiently wide to prevent substantially all particles of on the order of about 10 microns in diameter from colliding with the wall of the wand as they enter the passage. A collector for use with the apparatus includes a gas impermeable material having a high binding affinity for explosives vapor exposed on a surface of a filter woven to trap explosives particles.

Abstract: To provide a tire pressure estimating system which is capable of estimating tire pressure based on a signal representing the rotational speed of a vehicle wheel via a small amount of processing by using low-capacity memory, a wheel speed sensor is provided for each wheel of a vehicle. A pulse signal output by the wheel speed sensor is supplied to a signal processor. In the signal processor, the rotational speed of each vehicle wheel is found from the pulse signal. The signal processor adopts a second-order linear prediction model for the rotational speed of the vehicle wheel and vibration of the tire using parameters identified from values of the rotational speed. A resonance frequency is then found from the identified parameters. Finally, the tire pressure is estimated from a linear relationship between the pressure and the resonance frequency.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine system includes a plurality of pneumatic elements including pneumatic resistances, pneumatic capacitances, and pneumatic sources. A pneumatic state model determines a pressure rate of change and pressure for certain areas of the internal combustion engine system designated as pneumatic nodes from selected flows of gas mass associated with pneumatic elements coupled to the certain areas.

Abstract: A rolling weight deflectometer for monitoring deflection of pavement under load. The deflectometer incorporates an alignment laser beam emitter that measures vertical displacement of each of a plurality of distance sensors mounted on a horizontal sensor bearer member that bends or vibrates as it is transported over a pavement for deflection measurement. The measured vertical displacements, due to member bending, allow the deflectometer to compensate for errors introduced by member bending and thereby provide a more accurate measurement of pavement deflection.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for improved thermal proximity imaging are provided. A data storage medium surface is moved relative to a sensor, in one embodiment a magnetoresistive read/write element. Topographical variations on the storage medium induce temperature changes in the sensor. These temperature changes are monitored to detect the location and nature (e.g., height) of the topographical variations on the medium surface. A feedback circuit using an impedance bridge is disclosed for sensing instantaneous changes in the temperature of the sensor, correcting for the changes and, therefore, keeping the temperature of the sensor substantially constant. By keeping the temperature of the sensor constant, the topographical variations can be detected without any adverse impacts of the surrounding thermal environment on the detection response time.

Abstract: A fluid pressure sensing apparatus has at least one pressure sensing element that is adapted to extend transverse to the direction of flow of a fluid flow stream. The probe is divided into an upstream chamber and a downstream chamber. A plurality of static pressure measuring holes define openings and are constructed and arranged within the probe so as to extend transversely to the fluid flow direction and further, the static pressure measuring holes are in fluid communication with the downstream chamber. A plurality of total pressure measuring holes define openings and are constructed and arranged within the probe so as to extend through the upstream wall in the direction of fluid flow and further, the total pressure measuring holes are in fluid communication with the upstream chamber, the total pressure measuring holes being located in front of the static pressure measuring holes when considered in the direction of fluid flow.