Abstract: A plastic intercooler assembly includes a plurality of plastic tubes that extend between plastic end plates. The plastic tubes are secured to the end plates to provide the desired seal between the end plates and the ends of the tubes. The plastic tubes are attached utilizing plastic welding methods that reduce assembly time and cost.

Abstract: An example plastic intake manifold is assembled with an inner shell received within an outer shell. The method of assembling the outer shell to the inner shell comprises a localized thickness that defines a desired laser weld joint along which laser energy is utilized to form the desired joint between the outer shell and the inner shell. The method also provides for completing a desired weld around an interfering protrusion on an outer surface of the outer shell.

Abstract: A plastic intercooler assembly includes a plurality of plastic tubes that extend between plastic end plates. The plastic tubes are secured to the end plates to provide the desired seal between the end plates and the ends of the tubes. The plastic tubes are attached utilizing plastic welding methods that reduce assembly time and cost.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for driving a throttle blade about an axis of rotation between maximum and minimum airflow positions. The throttle assembly includes a throttle body with an airflow passage. The throttle blade is mounted for rotation with respect to the body between the maximum and minimum airflow positions. The throttle blade has a central bore for receiving at least a portion of a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism includes a motor operably connected to a gear drive to move the throttle blade between the maximum and minimum airflow positions. In one example, the drive mechanism is preassembled in a tube that is inserted into the blade bore during assembly. A position sensor is also mounted within the bore to monitor the position of the blade relative to the body.

Abstract: Fuel injector has combination valve-armature fabricated by laser welding relatively more magnetically permeable armature element to relatively less magnetically permeable valve element. Valve element contains sealing ring and landing ring, the latter being circumferentially discontinuous because of fuel passage holes through the valve element, the former being non-symmetrical so that magnetic opening force causes valve-armature to open by tilting about consistent circumferential location on valve element. Initial opening tilting motion is stopped by corrugated stop surface of annular stop member with final tilting motion occurring about the corrugated stop surface until the full perimeter of the valve element abuts the full perimeter of the corrugated stop surface. Actuator has bobbin-mounted coil inserted into frame and encapsulated by outer plastic body.

Abstract: Fuel injector has combination valve-armature fabricated by laser welding relatively more magnetically permeable armature element to relatively less magnetically permeable valve element. Valve element contains sealing ring and landing ring, the latter being circumferentially discontinuous because of fuel passage holes through the valve element, the former being non-symmetrical so that magnetic opening force causes valve-armature to open by tilting about consistent circumferential location on valve element. Initial opening tilting motion is stopped by corrugated stop surface of annular stop member with final tilting motion occurring about the corrugated stop surface until the full perimeter of the valve element abuts the full perimeter of the corrugated stop surface. Actuator has bobbin-mounted coil inserted into frame and encapsulated by outer plastic body.

Abstract: A multiprocessing microprocessor based engine control system for an internal combustion engine controls the amount of fuel supplied to the engine. The various input-output devices used in engine operation, transmission control 20, spark advance control 22, etc., are controlled by dual microprocessors 26, 28 connected in parallel for partitioning and sharing of the various engine control functions.

Abstract: A fuel control system for actuating injection means for controlling small fuel flows is described in a microprocessor based engine control system. The short time duration fuel pulses are sensed and the control system processes the skipping of the injection pulses in the opposite direction of cylinder ignition or precesses skipping around the engine. In one example, in every three fuel pulses, one is omitted and the remaining two are increased in time duration. This processing of the fuel pulses allows each cylinder to omit receiving fuel only once in four engine cycles for a four cylinder engine. Other counts may be used providing that the count is not a multiple of a factor of the total number of cylinders. The increased time duration of the fuel pulses allows actuation of the injector in its linear region of operation.

Abstract: An extended range throttle body fuel injection system wherein overlapping or near-overlapping fuel quantity pulse width signals are compensated to maintain the operation of the injectors in a near linear operating mode. The system is capable of being implemented in software for controlling microprocessors in a microprocessor based system or in hardware logic for operation in a hardware system.

Abstract: A supercharging system for an internal combustion engine, consisting of a positive displacement air pump mechanically driven by the engine, and an electromagnetic clutch activated during high torque demand operating conditions. The system produces a high torque output in a high torque demand range from a relatively small displacement engine, with economy operation during normal engine operating conditions. A flow modulation control system provides a smooth transition from natural aspiration to supercharged operating conditions and includes a sensing of the pressure drop across the throttle plate and modulation of the supercharger air flow into the engine intake in accordance with the sensed pressure differential. The flow modulation also enables high efficiency supercharging with the engine operating under partial pressure supercharging as required in ascending a grade.