Abstract: A master cylinder assembly including a boost assembly. The hydraulic master cylinder includes a cylinder defining an elongated bore, a piston slidably positioned in said bore, inlet means in the cylinder for admitting hydraulic fluid into the bore from a reservoir, and an outlet fitting in said cylinder communicating with said bore and operative to convey hydraulic fluid out of the bore for delivery to a brake device in response to linear movement of the piston in the bore. The boost assembly includes an electric motor. A hollow ball nut and screw assembly is operably connected to the motor. A screw of the ball nut and screw assembly is positioned to advance the piston in response to actuation of the motor. An input rod extending through the screw includes a first end positioned to receive a brake input force and a second end positioned to advance the piston independently from the screw.

Abstract: A vehicle roll control system including a torsion bar having a longitudinal axis and first and second end portions disposed along the longitudinal axis. A first arm includes a passive end fixed to the first end of the torsion bar and extending transverse to the longitudinal axis. A second arm is provided having an active end rotatably coupled to the second end portion of the torsion bar and also extending transverse to the longitudinal axis. The opposite ends of the first and second arms are each configured to couple to the vehicle chassis. An actuator including a cam locking element is provided for selectively locking and unlocking the active end of the second arm to thereby selectively prevent and allow rotation of the active arm relative to the torsion bar.

Abstract: A power booster for a brake system including a housing having an interior and a diaphragm separating the interior of the housing into at least two chambers. A power piston is coupled for movement with the diaphragm and includes an output member. A reaction member is coupled to the power piston, and an input member is adapted to be coupled to a movable brake pedal. An air valve assembly moves between open and closed positions to selectively admit atmospheric air into at least one of the chambers. This induces an output force on the diaphragm that is transferred to the output member of the power piston. The air valve assembly includes a portion adapted to engage the reaction member in response to an input force applied to the input member and is length adjustable between the input member and the reaction member.

Abstract: A hydraulic pressure intensifier for operating a vehicle braking system under conditions that are not conducive to the proper operation of a power assist for the braking system. The hydraulic pressure intensifier has an intensifier inlet fluidly connected to a master cylinder and an intensifier outlet fluidly connected to a wheel cylinder. A bypass valve has an input and output fluidly connected to the intensifier inlet and the intensifier outlet, respectively. With normal power assisted braking operation, the bypass valve is open and the master cylinder is fluidly connected to the wheel cylinder via the bypass valve. In a manual or nonpower assisted braking operation, the bypass valve is closed; and the hydraulic pressure intensifier is fluidly connected between the master cylinder and the wheel cylinder.

Abstract: An input push rod for applying an input force from a brake pedal to a power booster of a brake system. The input push rod includes a sensor that is capable of generating an electrical output having a magnitude that varies with the amount of force applied to the input push rod by the brake pedal. Preferably, the sensor generates an output voltage signal that is generally proportional to the input force applied to the input push rod. The output signal generated by the sensor is applied to a brake light control system that uses the signal to determine whether the vehicle brake lights should be illuminated.

Abstract: An air valve assembly is provided for a power piston in a vacuum brake booster including an input element with a hollow axial extension. The hollow axial extension includes a retaining portion. An output element is provided that includes an input extension slidably positioned within the hollow axial extension. The input extension includes an outer groove formed thereon and a ring member is disposed in the outer groove, the ring positioned adjacent the retaining portion to prevent separation of the input element and outer element.

Abstract: Rotor position information for a switched reluctance motor rotor is obtained during energization of a stator winding of the motor with a fixed voltage pulsed signal. The inductance of the rotor is sensed and monitored to determine a minimum inductance of the stator winding. A microprocessor controller uses the minimum inductance to dynamically update a threshold value that the sensed inductance is compared to when determining whether to de-energize the stator winding that is energized and to energize the next stator winding. By dynamically updating the threshold value, the controller compensates for manufacturing tolerances in the stator windings and dynamic inductance changes of the stator windings due to aging and changes in the operating temperature thereof.

Abstract: An electric motor comprising a rotatably mounted rotor, a commutator brush retainer mounted fixedly with respect to the rotor, wherein the commutator brush retainer rotates with the rotor, at least one brush slidably mounted to the commutator brush retainer, wherein the brush is slidable in a radial direction between a radially retracted position and a radially extended position, and a spring connected to the commutator brush retainer and to said one brush, wherein the spring biases the one brush to the radially retracted position and, wherein, during rotational movement of the motor, centrifugal force moves the one brush toward the radially extended position, wherein, as a rotational velocity of the rotor increases, the one brush moves closer to the radially extended position.

Abstract: A hydraulic damper for a motor vehicle comprising a longitudinally extending tube and a separately formed spring seat positioned on the tube, wherein the tube is formed from extruded aluminium or aluminium alloy, and the spring seat is formed from aluminium or aluminium alloy.

Abstract: A hydraulic damper for a motor vehicle comprising a longitudinally extending tube and a separately formed steering knuckle secured to the tube, wherein the tube is formed from extruded aluminum or aluminum alloy, and the steering knuckle is formed from aluminum or aluminum alloy. The steering knuckle includes a tubular portion that overlies and is secured to a portion of the tube through the use of a groove in the tubular portion and a groove in the tube. Adhesive may be injected into the grooves to aid in securing the steering knuckle to the tube.

Abstract: A shock absorber comprising an outer tube; an inner tube positioned inside the outer tube; a rod guide closing one end of the inner tube and the outer tube; a compensation valve assembly closing the other end of the inner tube; the other end of the outer tube being closed; a piston assembly slidably sealably positioned inside the inner tube and dividing the inner tube into a rebound chamber and a compression chamber; a piston rod connected to the piston assembly and extending through the rebound chamber and the rod guide; a compensation chamber formed between the inner tube and the outer tube; and a damping valve covering an aperture through the inner tube from the compression chamber, the damping valve being actuable by differential pressure above a predetermined level to allow flow of fluid in one direction only from the compression chamber through the aperture to the compensation chamber. Improved damping characteristics at slow speed damping.

Abstract: A switched reluctance motor comprising a stator including a plurality of phase coils, a rotor rotatably mounted coaxially with the stator, a first commutator plate comprising a plurality of first contact plates wherein each phase coil of the plurality of phase coils is electrically coupled to a member of the plurality of first contact plates, a first switching device, a first rotatably mounted brush consecutively providing electrical contact between each first contact plate and the first switching device, a second switching device, a second commutator plate comprising a plurality of second contact plates wherein each phase coil of the plurality of phase coils is electrically coupled to a member of the plurality of second contact plates, a second rotatably mounted brush consecutively providing electrical contact between each second contact plate and the second switching device, wherein, when the first switching device is closed and the second switching device is open, the rotor rotates in a first direction and

Abstract: A brake system comprising a hydraulic brake, wherein the brake includes a displaceable braking surface, wherein the hydraulic brake requires low pressure to effect displacement during initiation of a brake apply and increased pressure to effect displacement as brake apply progresses, wherein the increased pressure exponentially increases in a non-linear response curve, a motor driven hydraulic actuator having a rotary input provided by a motor and a hydraulic output coupled to the hydraulically actuated brake, wherein the rotary input requires low torque during the initiation of brake apply to effect displacement of the hydraulically actuated brake and requires increased torque to effect rotary motion and displacement of the hydraulically actuated brake as brake apply progresses, the motor characterized by a progressively changing non-linear operation having a low torque mode and a high torque mode, and a control apparatus for the motor controlling the motor to effect displacement of the hydraulic brake, wher

Abstract: A vehicle roll control system (22,24) for a vehicle (10) having a pair of wheels (12,16) each rotatable on an axle (14,18), comprising a torsion bar (26); a first arm (28) extending substantially perpendicular to the torsion bar, the first arm being fixed to the torsion bar at one end and being connectable to one of the axles at the other end; a second arm (30) extending substantially perpendicular to the torsion bar, the second arm being rotatably mounted on the torsion bar at one end and being connectable to the other axle at the other end; and an actuation (32,34) connected between the second arm and the torsion bar, the actuation being actuable on detection of a predetermined vehicle condition to substantially prevent or allow rotation of the second arm relative to the torsion bar.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension control includes a differentiator for deriving an analog relative suspension velocity signal from a relative suspension position sensor; and the analog relative suspension velocity signal is A/D converted by digital signal processing apparatus at a predetermined sampling frequency. The differentiator comprises a bandpass filter having a linearly increasing gain and a 90 degree phase lead for differentiator action in a low frequency range of vehicle suspension resonances (0.5-20 Hz) in which signal differentiation is desired, a peak in gain and group delay at an intermediate frequency above the low frequency range of vehicle suspension resonances, at which vehicle suspension inputs are small, and a decreasing gain from the intermediate frequency to a higher aliasing frequency (500 Hz) related to the sampling frequency of the digital signal processing apparatus.

Abstract: A centralized door-locking system in a motor vehicle in which all of the doors of the vehicle and a tailgate of the vehicle have lockable latches which can be locked/unlocked electrically using key-operable switches asociated with the lockable latches in the driver's door, front passenger's door and the tailgate of the vehicle. In the system, it is possible to selectively lock/unlock the driver's door and/or the tailgate independently of the remaining doors of the vehicle, thus improving the overall security against unauthorized entry to the vehicle by third persons during usage of the vehicle. This selective locking/unlocking of the driver's door and tailgate may be achieved by using, for example, a key-operable switch in the driver's door having a rotatable key barrel 32 with key slot 160 which is rotatable clockwise or anticlockwise from a central position N to sequential switching positions A and B, or C and D, against an increasing spring bias 162, 164.

Abstract: An electrically-operable actuator 10, for use in locking and unlocking a latch mechanism in a motor vehicle by the selective operation of a switchable direct current electrical supply to said actuator, comprises a housing 12, 14 enclosing a reversible direct current electric motor 16 adapted to be coupled to said electrical supply, a reduction gear train, a reciprocable member 96 movable between two predefined limits and adapted at one end to be coupled with a locking lever of said latch mechanism, and a rotary, load-sensitive releasable coupling 64 provided between said reversible electric motor 16 and said reciprocable member 96, the actuator including a releasably-engagable locking lever 132 which is operable to lock said reciprocable member 96 against any movement relative to said housing 12, 14, said locking lever 132 being applied, when the actuator 10 is coupled to said switchable electrical supply and after one of said predetermined limits has been reached, by the operation of a switch means in said s