Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Cecilia Hernandez

Samuel Roland Palfenier

Stephen G Paddock

Mark A Shost

Daniel J Moreno

Esau Aguinaga

Manuel S Sanchez

Jesus Carmona

Miguel Antonio Maldonado

Norberto Hernandez

A sensing apparatus for determining a property of a fuel such as a gasoline and ethanol blend known as flex fuel includes an acetal plastic tube with an inlet, an outlet and a fuel passage in between. One property of the fuel is a dielectric constant. A pair of sensing plates are placed on opposite sides of the tube leaving the fuel passage unobstructed. A processing circuit on a printed circuit board (PCB) is located near to and is connected with the sensing plates. The circuit applies an excitation signal, senses a capacitance, and generates an output signal indicative of a property of the fuel. The sensed capacitance will increase with increasing concentration of ethanol in the fuel flowing through the passage. A shield for reducing EMI surrounds and encloses the sensing plates and the PCB. An interface connector allows the sensing apparatus to output the capacitance indicative signal to an engine controller or the like.

Fuel sensor

A method for assembling an electrical bobbin requires a spool of wire extending between first and second leads, a housing having first and second opening, and first and second terminal posts, each having a predetermined width. The method includes the step of placing the spool of wire into the housing. The first lead is then extended through the first opening. Like the first lead, the second lead is then extended through the second opening. The first terminal post is extended into the first opening and the second terminal post is extended into the second opening. The first lead is wrapped around the first terminal post to create a first wire wrap. The second lead is wrapped around the second terminal post to create a second wire wrap. The first wire wrap is soldered to the first terminal post. The second wire wrap is soldered to the second terminal post. Each of the first and second terminal posts are moved further into the first and second opening to reduce the amount of first and second terminal posts extending out of the housing.

Method of assembling a bobbin

In an electronic sensor having a spool with a bore therein for receiving a pole and a magnet adjacent to the pole and a magnet wire wound around the spool forming a coil and the ends of the magnet wire are each coiled around respective electrically conductive legs of a terminal for electrical output from the coil to an external circuit, the legs of the terminal are provided with bumps or protuberances stamped thereon. The bumps have a height greater than the thickness of the magnet wire to protect the magnet wire during installation of a housing covering.

Protective terminal bumps for the variable reluctance sensor

A sensor assembly for sensing the angular position of a rotatable body such as a motor vehicle steering column. The sensor assembly includes a ring gear which is zero calibrated upon assembly of the sensor assembly. The sensor assembly further includes a ring member which functions to lock the ring gear to the sensor housing to maintain the zero calibration between the time of calibration and the subsequent mounting of the sensor assembly on the steering column and further functions to release the ring member for free rotation with the steering column in response to mounting of the sensor assembly on the steering column. The locking and releasing functions of the sensor assembly are performed by a finger structure of the ring member which includes a free end which is engaged in a notch in the sensor housing upon calibration of the sensor assembly to maintain the calibration setting and which further includes a release portion which is engaged by the steering column as the sensor assembly is mounted on the steering column to pivot the finger structure in a sense to move the free end of the finger structure out of the housing notch.

Position sensor method and apparatus

A vehicle variable reluctance sensor includes a hollow generally cylindrical sensor housing with an open proximal end. Within the interior of the sensor housing is a coil wound around a &ldquo;T&rdquo;-shaped spool. The coil is connected to two electrical terminals by two electrical leads. A channel is formed in the spool between the coil and the electrical leads and the electrical leads are disposed within the channel. The channel is flanked on each side by a lip that extends outwardly from the spool. If the electrical leads become slack under extreme temperatures, the configuration of the channel, in conjunction with the lips, prevents the electrical leads from coming out of the channel and unwinding the coil. As such, it is not necessary to tape the coil or otherwise immerse the coil in varnish to prevent the coil from unwinding.

Vehicle variable reluctance sensor

A self-retaining transmission sensor includes a sensor housing having a retaining ring extending radially from the sensor housing. When the self-retaining transmission sensor is inserted in a bore in a transmission housing having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the retaining ring, the outer edge of the retaining ring engages the inner wall of the bore and holds the self-retaining transmission sensor firmly in place. Thus, the need for a mounting bracket, a mounting bolt, or a similar device is eliminated.

Self-retaining transmission sensor

A vehicle speed sensor includes a hollow generally cylindrical sensor housing with an open proximal end. Within the interior of the sensor housing is a sensing structure having a base and a coil. A shunt resistor and two terminals are insert molded into the base of the sensing structure, with the resistor disposed between the terminals. Two electrical leads, that are electrically connected to the coil, are wrapped around each end of the shunt resistor and the immediately adjacent terminal. The electrical lead not only electrically connects the terminals to the coil, but it also electrically connects the shunt resistor to the terminals.

Vehicle speed sensor with molded shunt resistor

A speed sensor (,) includes a sensor housing (,) mounted to the wall of a transmission, and a pole piece (,) extends out of the sensor housing (,) into the transmission fluid. The pole piece (,) is held by a plastic spool (,) within the sensor housing (,), and an electric coil (,) surrounds the spool (,) and is magnetically coupled to the pole piece (,). The spool (,) is formed with a rib ring (,) that extends away from the pole piece (,) and that terminates in an outer periphery that is closely spaced from the inside wall of the sensor housing (,). To block metal particles in the fluid from entering between the spool (,) and sensor housing (,) that would otherwise damage the coil (,), two ribs (,) are formed on the outer periphery of the spool (,), and an interference fit is established between the ribs (,) and the sensor housing (,) such that the ribs (,) are deformed and the contaminants thereby blocked.

Growing community of inventors

Cd. Juarez Chih., Mexico

Cecilia Hernandez