Abstract: A vehicle steering wheel is provided with a thin reconfigurable display such as an LED, an LCD, an electro-luminescent display, or other types of reconfigurable thin display. Vehicle instrument information such as speedometer, fuel level, vehicle temperature, engine speed, etc. are provided on this display. The reconfigurable display is provided with a control that reconfigures the location of the information on the display. The control is provided with a signal indicative of rotation of the steering wheel, and the control takes that signal and adjusts the information such that the displayed information maintains a particular orientation relative to the horizontal during a turn. With the present invention, the vehicle operator need only consult the vehicle steering wheel to obtain information about the vehicle condition. There are thus less constraints on the design of the steering wheel, and in the requirement of providing visual access to the instrument panel.

Abstract: An improved display for steering wheels places display elements on the rim of the steering wheel. In this way, an operator of a vehicle is less likely to ignore display elements such as turn signals or warning lights. In one embodiment, lights are utilized to display the informational element. In a second embodiment a reconfigurable thin display, such as an LED, an LCD or an electro-luminescent display, is utilized. In either embodiment, the displayed information may change with rotation of the steering wheel.

Abstract: An electromagnetically operated fuel injection valve structured to include a housing having a fuel inlet opening, a fuel discharge opening and a fuel return opening, there being a continuous liquid path from the inlet opening to the return opening and an intermittent, or valved, liquid path from the inlet opening to the discharge opening. The continuous liquid path has a slope, in the direction of flow toward said return opening, which preferably is always 0 or positive relative to a horizontal axis or plane. A discharge valve is provided in the injector and exists in the valve path. The discharge valve is connected to an armature which is in turn actuated by a solenoid comprised of a coil, a tubular bobbin and an electromagnetic frame. The frame has a vertical tubular core portion and an upper flange extending outwardly therefrom. The coil is disposed on the bobbin and the bobbin is coaxially disposed about the frame core portion below the flange.

Abstract: A window wiper control system provides accurate regulation and/or profiling of wiper speed. A desired interval corresponding with the preselected speed or speed profile is stored; a reference signal is provided to indicate a reference position of the wiper and is used to measure the actual interval of a wiper stroke or cycle. The actual interval is compared with the desired interval and an appropriate adjustment is made in a pulse-width modulation signal for effecting a desired speed and interval. The pulse-width modulation signal preferably has a relatively-low repetition rate. The wiper speed may be profiled to include acceleration and deceleration, and the intervals of acceleration and deceleration may be lengthened substantially to provide an apparent dwell.

Abstract: A system for providing acceleration enrichment in a vehicle engine fuel injection system is enabled by a sensed transition from a transmission neutral condition to a transmission drive condition to enrich the mixture supplied to the engine to provide improved engine performance.

Abstract: A motor vehicle combustion engine has an exhaust gas recirculation system in which the flow of recirculated exhaust gas is controlled through an orifice having exhaust back pressure on one side and a control pressure on the other, determined by an EGR valve. Apparatus is provided for sensing the control pressure and controlling the EGR valve in response to the sensed control pressure, a predetermined desired control pressure and a reference. At selected occurrences of engine idle, the EGR valve is closed and the sensed control pressure, which at such times is substantially the same as the exhaust back pressure at idle, is stored for use as the reference between said occurrences.

Abstract: A memory type fuel control system and method of operating a motor vehicle internal combustion engine having a three-way catalytic converter. A fuel flow control system provides a fuel supply rate near the air/fuel ratio at which the catalytic converter has maximum three-way conversion efficiency. The fuel supply rate so determined is trimmed by a trim factor recalled from memory, the authority of this trim factor being sufficient to compensate for engine and controller variations with time, manufacturing tolerances, etc. In the preferred form, the trim factor is stored in memory at an address determined by the same engine operating conditions that control the fuel supply. The engine exhaust gas oxidizing/reducing conditions are sensed by exhaust gas sensors.