Automotive Products (usa), Inc.

Other

Automotive Products, Inc.

David C Peterson

Keith V Leigh-Monstevens

Richard A Nix

Brian D Mabee

Edward L Tury

John G VanderPoorte

Scott Lee Loring

Jiamu Hu

Bryan M Stevens

David F Salzmann

Rajiv Iyer

John G Vander Poorte

Lisa Marie Van Wynsberghe

A hydraulic control apparatus having a master cylinder, a slave cylinder, and a conduit connecting the master cylinder to the slave cylinder is constituted as separate modular units interconnected by a quick connect coupling including a female coupler member and a male coupler member. In addition to providing part of the quick connect coupling between the modular units the female coupler member is provided with a bleed system to facilitate removal and addition of hydraulic fluid to the system as required in relation to initial manufacturer and installation and in relation to field maintenance.

Quick connect coupling for a hydraulic control system

A seal assembly especially suitable for use as the sealing element in the annular cylindrical bore of a concentric cylinder assembly. The seal assembly includes an annular insert structure of rigid material and an annular seal member of elastomeric material bonded to the insert structure. The annular insert structure has an I-beam cross-sectional configuration including an outer annular flange structure centered on an axis, an inner annular flange structure centered on the axis concentrically within the outer annular flange structure, and annular web structure extending radially between the inner and outer annular flange structures. The web structure coacts with the flange structures to define left and right continuous annular grooves in the left and right faces of the insert structure and defines a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes extending axially through the web structure between the left and right grooves. The annular elastomeric seal member fills the left and right grooves, fills the web structure holes, and extends to one side of the insert structure to form inner and outer annular sealing surfaces for coaction with the respective annular surfaces of the annular cylindrical bore.

Seal assembly for annular hydraulic cylinder

A quick connect coupling for use in a hydraulic clutch control system including a hydraulic master cylinder and a hydraulic slave cylinder. One of the coupler members of the quick connect coupling includes a central axial passage defining an inlet at one end of the passage and including a diaphragm positioned at the other end of the passage at right angles to the passage in fluid communication with fluid flowing through the passage. The passage further includes a radial passage portion communicating with the central passage and extending to a fluid port for the coupler member. Hydraulic fluid flowing through the coupler member communicates with an inboard face of the diaphragm so that the diaphragm functions to attenuate pulsations in the hydraulic fluid and preclude transmission of the pulsations rearwardly in the system to the clutch pedal.

Quick connect coupling for a hydraulic control system including integral

A pushrod assembly for use in association with a vehicle clutch control system of the type including a slave cylinder having an output member adapted for control of the clutch mechanism of the vehicle, a master cylinder for supplying hydraulic fluid to the slave cylinder, and a clutch control pedal assembly for actuating the master cylinder via the pushrod assembly. The pushrod assembly is connected at a forward end thereof to the master cylinder piston and is adapted for connection at a rearward end thereof to the clutch pedal arm and includes an isolator member of resilient material carried by the pushrod and interposed between the rearward pushrod end and the clutch pedal in a position to be resiliently distorted in response to movement of the control pedal in a release direction relative to the pushrod. When the operator's foot inadvertently slips off of the clutch pedal and the pushrod assembly flies back forcefully toward a pedal release position, the isolator member isolates the pedal arm assembly from the pushrod to reduce the impact on the pushrod and avoid system failures resulting from the impact loading.

Pushrod impact isolator

A clutch actuation system for use in engaging and disengaging the clutch of a manual transmission motor vehicle. The system includes a sensor sensing the rotary movement of the clutch pedal, an electric motor having a screw output shaft driving a ball nut mechanism engaging a clutch release member, a further sensor sensing the position of the ball nut mechanism and thereby of the clutch release member, and an electronic control module. The module compares the magnitude of the position signal received from the clutch pedal position sensor to the magnitude of the position signal received from the ball nut position sensor and operates in a closed-loop servo manner to move the clutch release member via the electric motor through a distance proportioned to the extent of pivotal movement of the clutch pedal so that the operator, by precise control of the extent of pivotal movement of the clutch pedal, can precisely control the extent of engagement or disengagement of the clutch. Return movement of the system to the clutch engaged position is preferably accomplished by back driving the ball nut and motor via the clutch diaphragm spring.

Clutch actuator system

Electric control apparatus for a motor vehicle including a push button module to indicate the operator choice of transmission state, an encoder tracking the annular position of the mode select shaft of the transmission and operative to provide a transmission state signal, and a logic module receiving the operator input request from the push button module, receiving a present transmission state signal from the encoder, and operating to shift the transmission to the requested position, provide enabling of the starter motor circuit in response to receipt of a neutral or park transmission state signal from the encoder, and energize the backup lamp circuit in response to receipt of a reverse transmission state signal from the encoder.

Transmission logic controlling starter motor and backup light

A method of providing a pretested electric shift control apparatus for a motor vehicle including an operator input push-button unit for mounting in the instrument panel of the motor vehicle, a power unit for mounting on the transmission of the motor vehicle, and a logic unit for mounting on the motor vehicle in a position in which it is electrically interconnected between the push-button unit and the power unit and operates to transmit operator input signals from the push-button unit to the power unit to shift the transmission to the position corresponding to the operator input. The method comprises the steps of manufacturing a plurality of push-button units; manufacturing a plurality of power units; manufacturing a plurality of logic units; providing a test assembly by assembling a push-button unit, a power unit, and a logic unit in a text fixture in a manner to simulate their assembled interrelationship on the motor vehicle; performing tests on the test assembly simulating the combined operation of the units on the motor vehicle; disassembling the test assembly into at least first and second tested modules; transporting the tested and disassembled modules to one or more motor vehicle manufacturing sites; and reassembling each tested first module on a motor vehicle in combination with a tested second module to provide a pretested electric shift control apparatus for the motor vehicle. A methodology is also disclosed for testing a shift control apparatus for shifting both the transmission and the transfer case of a four wheel drive motor vehicle.

Testing method for electric shift control apparatus

An electronic control system for a motor vehicle of the type including an automatic transmission, a steering system having a steering column, an ignition switch having an on position and a key-in/lock position, means operative in response to movement of the ignition switch to the key-in/lock position to lock the steering column, a starter circuit, a push button shift control assembly in the vehicle passenger compartment, and a closure system requiring one or more operator steps to enter the vehicle passenger compartment. The invention control system includes means to preclude movement of the ignition switch to the key-in/lock position when the vehicle speed is in excess of a predetermined speed; means for generating a coded anti-theft signal comprising a predetermined combination of shift assembly push buttons depressed in a predetermined sequence to allow starting of the motor vehicle and to allow shifting of the motor vehicle; and means operative to display the instantaneous position of the vehicle transmission during the normal operation of the vehicle, for a predetermined period of time following removal of the ignition key from the ignition switch, and for a predetermined time following operator performance of one or more of the steps required to enter the vehicle passenger compartment.

Motor vehicle control system

An electric shift apparatus for use with a motor vehicle having an automatic transmission. The apparatus includes a power module adapted to be mounted on the housing of the transmission proximate the transmission mode select shaft and a control module adapted to be mounted in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The power module includes an electric motor driving a speed reduction unit and the lower exposed end of the output shaft of the speed reduction unit is adapted to be drivingly coupled to the exposed upper end of the mode select shaft of the automatic transmission. A manual override is provided so that, in the event of a total loss of vehicle electric power, the transmission may be moved manually to any desired position to facilitate emergency servicing of the vehicle. A pointer mounted on an exposed end of the output shaft of the speed reduction unit coacts with indicia provided on the housing of the speed reduction unit to provide a constant visual indication of the instantaneous position of the transmission to assist in the manual override function.

Electric shift apparatus with manual override

An electric shift apparatus for use with a motor vehicle having an automatic transmission. The apparatus includes a power module adapted to be mounted on the housing of the transmission proximate the transmission mode select shaft and a control module adapted to be mounted in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The power module includes an electric motor driving a speed reduction unit and the lower exposed end of the output shaft of the reduction unit is adapted to be drivingly coupled to the exposed upper end of the mode select shaft of the automatic transmission. The control module includes a plurality of push button members corresponding respectively to the transmission shift positions. An encoder wheel positioned in the housing of the speed reduction unit provides a constant coded signal indicating the instantaneous position of the transmission mode select shaft and this coded signal is compared by comparator means in the logic of the control unit with the selected shift position. The comparator means generates a signal to the motor assembly to move the mode select shaft in a direction to achieve the selected shift position and stops the motor assembly when the encoder signal received from the power module matches the selected shift position indicating that the selected shift position has been achieved.

Electric shift apparatus

An electric shift apparatus for use with a motor vehicle having an automatic transmission. The apparatus includes a power module adapted to be mounted on the housing of the transmission proximate the transmission mode select lever and the transmission kick-down lever and a control module adapted to be mounted in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The power module includes an electric motor assembly drivingly connected to the free end of the mode select lever and a solenoid drivingly connected to the free end of the kick-down lever. The control module includes a plurality of push button members corresponding respectively to the transmission shift positions. An encoder device carried by the motor assembly of the power module provides a constant coded signal indicating the instantaneous position of the transmission mode select lever and this coded signal is compared by comparator means in the logic of the control unit with the selected shift position. The comparator means generates a signal to the motor assembly to move the mode select lever in a direction to achieve the selected shift position and stops the motor assembly when the encoder signal received from the power module matches the selected shift position indicating that the selected shift position has been achieved.

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Walled Lake, MI, United States of America

David C Peterson