Mccord Winn Textron Inc.

David A Gattuso

Anthony R Haba, Ii

Richard D Rhodes, Jr

Carl F Kackenmeister

Jeffrey I Finkelstein

Steven Castrigno

Babak Sardashti

Donna L Lizotte

Tuan A Dam

Bruce T Long

Alfred E Bissell, Iii

Martyn Jenkins

Malcolm Claydon

A spraying device comprising a housingcontaining a top and bottom portion defining a chamber therein for fluid ingress and egress into the bottom portion wherein the housing includes an outer structurecontaining an inner structure, and a tensioning devicewhich releasably positions the outer structure at the housing bottom. The inner structureis engaged to an arm memberfor spraying said fluid, such that the inner structure causes the arm member to move in a linear and rotating relationship relative to housing. The outer structureand inner structureare engaged to one another such that the outer structurecauses the inner structure to move in a linear and rotating relationship relative to the housing. The ingress of fluid in the chamber causes the inner and outer structures to move linearly and at a predetermined point the inner structure is prevented from moving in the liner direction while the outer structure continues to move linearly, thereby causing said inner structure to rotate.

Headlamp washer system

A system of inflatable air cells is constructed and installed in a seat at locations that are strategic to the comfort of the user. The air cells are connected to a pump through a manifold which sequentially connects each cell independently to the pump. The manifold controls the flow of fluid in the air cell distribution system by means of a system of valves and senses the pressure in each cell by means of a transducer. A microcomputer is programmed with data representing a desired comfort level for each of the air cells. By sequentially activating individual manifold valves, a pressure signal from the transducer can be generated for each cell. The pressure signals are received by the microcomputer and are correlated with the predetermined comfort data to generate a control signal which activates the pump. In this manner each of the cells can be individually inflated or deflated to the desired pressure level. By varying the number and location of the cells the system becomes responsive to the localized pressures exerted on the body for a great variety of users.

Interactive, individually controlled, multiple bladder seating comfort

A low energy consumption valve module (16) includes low energy consumption valves (20) having either bimorphs or monomorphs defined by a circular diaphragm (21) carrying one or more piezoelectric discs (22) (23) operative to position a sealing disc (36) for sealing a valve seat (34). In one embodiment the discs are energized across conductive seals (51,52,54,56) and in another embodiment the discs are energized by a pair of flexible conductors (150). A process for making the bimorphs or monomorphs comprises a tape cast process in which ceramic with piezoelectric properties is shaped without machining. A process for making the valve module providing a valve body (200) and valve cover (202) of either laser energy transparent or laser energy absorbent polyimide material that are joined at a line to line contact (210) and sealed upon application of a laser welding beam to the line to line contact between the valve body and the valve cover at the perimeter thereof.

Multi-valve module having a ceramic piezoelectric actuator

An air cell system for vehicle seat and mattress applications includes an air cell constructed from facing sheets of flexible air-impermeable material that are sealed along their marginal edges. A gap is provided at a prescribed location along the seam to accommodate and air tube. The portion of the air tube received in the gap has a generally diamond shaped cross section including a central tubular region and opposed lateral side sections that taper radially outwardly in order to occupy correspondingly shaped regions of the gap. The shaped end of the air tube is sealed to the facing cell layer material to provide an airtight, unstressed seal therebetween.

Inflatable air cell having improved cell-to-air tube connection

Growing community of inventors

Deerfield, NH, United States of America

David A Gattuso