Other

Continental Automotive Systems Corporation

Vitesco Technologies Usa, LLC

Continental Powertrain Usa, LLC

Repla Limited

Donald Taylor

John Norman Stockbridge

Mohammed Rizwan Khan

Nathan Cowan

Stefan Köhler

Benjamin Nydam

Giri Thommandram

Julian Czajkowski

Jennifer Betsistas

Dominik Ilse

Dean Sorell

Joy Jacobs

A valve, such as a throttle valve plate, which is suitable for use with a throttle assembly, and is able to withstand a backpressure test. The throttle valve plate includes a flat plate, and a plastic material overmolded onto a portion of the valve plate. The plate includes at least one rib, and may include a plurality of ribs, allowing for a thinner and lighter weight plate which is manufactured at a lower cost. The valve may also be a two-piece valve plate having an overlap portion. The two pieces of the valve plate overlap at the portion of the valve plate which interfaces with the shaft of the throttle assembly. The remaining portion of the plate surface includes at least one ribbed feature, and may include a plurality of ribbed features which reduce material usage and therefore reduce weight and cost, but also provide the required strength and rigidity.

Throttle plate

A throttle control assembly which includes a housing, an adapter integrally formed with the housing, an anti-rotation feature integrally formed with the housing and the adapter, and a scallop. The scallop substantially surrounds the anti-rotation feature, and the anti-rotation feature and the scallop are integrally formed with the housing and the adapter during a molding process, such as a metal injection molding process, or a casting process. A first groove is integrally formed as part of the adapter, a second groove is integrally formed as part of the housing, and a rib portion is disposed between the first groove and the second groove. A lower wall portion is integrally formed as part of the housing, such that the lower wall portion is adjacent the scallop. A portion of the scallop is integrally formed as part of the housing, and a portion of the scallop is integrally formed as part of the adapter.

Integrated VDA housing with anti-rotation feature

A throttle control assembly which includes a housing, and an adapter and an anti-rotation feature integrally formed with the housing. A scallop is integrally formed as part of the housing and substantially surrounds the anti-rotation feature. A first tapered portion and a second tapered portion are both integrally formed with the adapter. A first groove and a rib portion are also integrally formed as part of the adapter. A plurality of outer scallops are also integrally formed as part of the adapter. The anti-rotation feature, the scallop, and each of the plurality of outer scallops are integrally formed with the housing. A portion of the plurality of outer scallops are formed as part of the second tapered portion, and a portion of the plurality of outer scallops are formed as part of the rib portion.

Reduced material spigot design for integrated VDA adapter housing with as-cast anti-rotation feature

A throttle control assembly which includes a throttle body housing, an adapter integrally formed with the throttle body housing, a housing portion being part of the adapter, and a central port which extends through the throttle body housing and the adapter. A first groove is integrally formed as part of the adapter, a second groove is integrally formed as part of the throttle body housing, and a rib portion disposed between the first groove and the second groove. The rib portion is formed as part of the adapter, and an anti-rotation feature is integrally formed with the throttle body housing. The anti-rotation feature is integrally formed with the throttle body housing during a molding process. The anti-rotation feature may be formed in different locations on the outer surface of the housing, allowing the throttle body assembly to be suitable for various applications having different design and packaging requirements.

An adapter assembly connected to a throttle body housing of an electronic throttle control assembly with a connecting feature. The adapter assembly of the present invention provides significantly lower cost assembly, and permits single side molding of the adapter assembly. The adapter assembly also includes alternative features for a captured seal or a void to contain excess thread sealer, and also permits a an anti-rotation feature, or locking tab, that is indexed to the receiving element, where the screw stop angle of the adapter assembly does not have to be controlled to provide a desired tab orientation.

Screw on throttle body adapter

A throttle body assembly includes a housing defining a throttle bore with a throttle plate in the bore and mounted on a shaft. An electric motor has a pinion gear. A gear assembly includes an intermediate gear and a sector gear and transfers rotational drive from the electric motor to the throttle plate. Biasing structure biases the sector gear and thus the shaft to cause the throttle plate to close the throttle bore defining a closed position thereof. When the motor is energized, rotation of the pinion gear causes rotation of the gear assembly, against the bias on the sector gear, thereby causing rotation of the shaft to move the throttle plate from the closed position to an open position. A position sensor assembly determines a position of the plate.

Electronic throttle body assembly

A throttle body assembly includes a housing defining a throttle bore with a throttle plate in the bore and mounted on a shaft. An electric motor has a pinion gear. A gear assembly transfers rotational drive from the electric motor to the throttle plate. Biasing structure biases the gear assembly and thus the shaft to cause the throttle plate to close the throttle bore defining a closed position thereof. When the motor is energized, rotation of the gear assembly, against the bias biasing structure, thereby causing rotation of the shaft to move the throttle plate from the closed position to an open position. A position sensor assembly determines a position of the plate.

A multi-paned insulated light, such as a window, incorporates an interior panel spacer/seal that includes a thermal insulating layer of cardboard. The cardboard serves as a low cost insulating layer and may be used in conjunction with rolled or extruded metal spacer forms, so as to vastly diminish the thermal bridging effect normally present with such metallic sections. The cardboard spacer can be used adjoining either the 'cold' pane or the 'hot' pane of the multi-paned unit, or may be interposed between adjacent metallic sections, as a thermal break therebetween. The cardboard is preferably sealed with a surface sealing layer such as polyvinyl alcohol, to effectively preclude gas percolation therepast. Alternatively, an effective gas seal such as polyvinyl alcohol may be incorporated into the cardboard at its time of manufacture.

Cardboard spacer/seal as thermal insulator

A spacer/seal for use in multi-pane glazing units, to provide a thermally non-conductive peripheral hermetic seal comprises a hollow tube of selected cross-sectional form, built up of a laminated construction of helically wound laminated layers and incorporating a layer or layers of gas impermeable barrier material to ensure long lived hermetic sealing characteristics. The construction may include respective layers wound to opposite hand, and layers wound to different lead angles. Also, the gas impermeable barrier layer or layers may be selected from materials that serve as adhesive to the laminated structure. Suitable barrier layers may be selected from polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylidene chloride, thermoplastic polyesters, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers, and combinations thereof. The structure of the spacer lends itself to low-cost continuous manufacture on a tube-making machine having a rotating mandrel of selected cross-section onto which the layers of flexible web-substrate material are laminated, each as a continuous spiral wind, with continuous off-feed of the formed and laminated spacer/seal from the free end of the mandrel. Paper or light cardboard of suitable basis weight form a very suitable, low-cost fibrous web for spiral winding as the structural material upon which the hermetic sealing layer material may be readily coated. The method and materials of manufacture enable the provision of spacer/seals of novel shape. Larger size tubes made in accordance with the present invention may also be used for long term storage including freezer storage, where the capability of providing flat-walled containers of square or rectangular section in a virtually unlimited range of sizes ensures optimum space utilization, while the hermetic seal characteristics of the wall construction promotes long term storage without spoiling due to dehydration or atmospheric contamination. Also, the capability of long term retention of inner 'storage' gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, etc. is enhanced.

Spiral spacer

A multi-paned insulated light, such as a window, incorporates an interior panel spacer/seal that includes a thermal insulating layer of cardboard. The cardboard serves as a low cost insulating layer and may be used in conjunction with rolled or extruded metal spacer forms, so as to vastly diminish the thermal bridging effect normally present with such metallic sections. The cardboard spacer can be used adjoining either the 'cold' pane or the 'hot' pane of the multi-paned unit, or may be interposed between adjacent metallic sections, as a thermal break therebetween. The cardboard is preferably sealed with a surface sealing layer such as polyvinyl alcohol, to effectively preclude gas percolation therepast.

A window spacer system for multi-paned window and door lights uses a paper or carboard substrate, generally built up in laminated ribbon structure as a low cost hermetic seal possessing unusual thermal insulating and thermal expansion characteristics. The ribbon may be impregnated or laminated with superior sealants, including polyvinyl alcohol and SARAN (TM) and can be scored or marked for folding into hollow seal sections, from which a peripheral seal frame can be readily manufactured. Metallic foil, in a range of thickness can be incorporated, to enhance the sealing characteristics, and in certain instances to provide a dead-fold characteristic to the seal ribbon.

Ribbon type spacer/seal system

An insulative, gas impermeable spacer frame is provided for the precision separation of two or more transparent glass or plastic panes, and is hermetically sealed in place to prevent the ingress or egress of moisture vapor, and to contain various noble gases, or air, between the adjacent panes, being used in insulated lights for windows and doors. The spacer is made of insulative organic material of suitable stiffness such as cardboard, or plastic over which is applied a coating or lamination of gas and moisture vapor barrier materials, thus forming a composite insulative web which may be fabricated into tubular structures to form separate frame units. Such spacer structures may possess extremely low thermal conductivity, so as not to constitute a thermal bridge between the panes being separated, thereby diminishing and even eliminating the problem of window edge frosting and/or peripheral dew point development, such as occurs when metal spacer devices are used. The hollow, tube-like spacer form may be used to contain desiccant materials for absorbing moisture and an organic vapors that evolve or may be present within the hollow window cavity, created when the spacer is sealed in place. The material or materials for the improved insulating spacer may be supplied in a flexible, planar, ribbon-like form, of continuous length rather or as a preformed stiff section, as at present, thus enabling the economic advantages of making various sizes of spacer frames without the cut-off losses which otherwise occurs when such spacer assemblies are cut from stock lengths of rigid, preformed hollow profile. However, the provision of the unique spacer, made up into predetermined lengths also is contemplated. The rigid stock lengths are then readily square cut or mitered and jointed with insert joints, to form insulating spacer frames. The provision of a protective film, against ultra violet degradation may also be readily incorporated in the spacer or coating formulation.

Insulative spacer/seal system

A system for providing multi-paned glazing lights, primarily for use as insulated glazing units in door and windows, employs noble gases for filling the insulative spaced enclosed between the glazing panes. The system uses the glazing light or lights as a gas flow manifold, mounted within a sealed vacuum chamber, for evacuating the chamber and the one or more glazing lights located therein. The glazing light, or lights, then also serve as the gas flow manifold for filling the lights and the surrounding exhausted chamber with the required noble gas. The system operates at room temperature, and enables selection of the internal pressure of the noble gas within the glazing units, in accordance with predetermined factors such as the altitude of the ultimate site where the lights are destined to be used. The lights are sealed off within the vacuum chamber, prior to removal therefrom, while in a controlled environment. The system enables consistent, extremely high gas fillings such as 97% noble gas, in a relatively rapid, economic and ecologically conservative manner.

Gas filling system for glazing panels

A peripheral frame is provided suitable for use as the frame or sash for a glazed window or patio door unit, or for use as an outer frame or semi-peripheral frame to contain window or door units. The frame is of U-form section, having a pair of substantially parallel legs and an interconnecting end portion forming an outwardly facing bight. The outer surface of the section end portion forms the inner periphery of the frame and the leg portions of the section form the faces of the frame, and, provide an outer peripheral access to the interior of the frame section. The frame can be provided with various concealed inserts appropriate to its function located in the interior of the section, such as wood, metal or other inserts. Such inserts may comprise reinforcement frames and insulation material, including foamed in-situ insulation and reinforcement; and attachment and/or suspension hardware for components supported by the frame. The frame inner periphery can be shaped to include one or more peripherally extending door jambs or glazing stops, and may include provision to secure snap-in glazing stop so as to facilitate installation of glazing units, either insulated (eg. gas filled) or plain. Peripheral frame cover plate portions can be removably or permanently secured in enclosing relation with the frame section.

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Chatham, Canada

Donald Taylor