Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Gamdur S Mann

Charles Dale Oakley

Randolph Kwok-Kin Chiu

David K Chen

Gregory Keller Rasmussen

Carlos Augusto Valdes

Michael P Murphy

Jinping Zhang

Keith A Penney

Fenglian Chang

Terry Jack Gold

Donald Robert Van Uum

Kenneth R Deming

Joseph Michael Leptich

David R Fredericks

Dilip V Tendulkar

William J Parker

John Franklin Mc Keon, Jr

Dale Lavern Freed, Jr

Ray William Atchinson, Ii

A method of making a lead alloy grid for use in a plate for a lead acid battery that enables thin battery plates with a high surface area. The method of the present invention includes forming the lead alloy, such as by direct casting, to a very small thickness, then work hardening the cast strip to create a grid by forming indentations and protrusions in the thinly cast alloy strip, which in addition to strengthening the strip, provides a desirable surface topography for paste adhesion and interface characteristics. The work hardening, for example embossing, may further include splitting the strip at a high point of the protrusions and indentations to create perforated protrusions and indentations. The grid may then be used to make a plate by pasting an active mass onto the grid, steaming the pasted grid, and curing the pasted grid to provide a plate having a thickness of about 0.05 inch or less. There is further provided a lead alloy grid for use in a plate of a lead acid battery, the grid comprising a cast lead-tin-calcium alloy having spaced protrusions and indentations on each opposing surface of the grid. The protrusions and indentations may further include a perforation. The grid has a higher surface area than punched or expanded grids, thereby providing a lower resistance and better adherence at the paste/grid interface.

Direct cast lead alloy strip for expanded metal battery plate grids

A method for producing thin film deposits of binary shape-memory alloys using an ion sputtering deposition process comprising using a hot pressed metal powder composition target.

Production of binary shape-memory alloy films by sputtering using a hot pressed target

An ion sensor glow plug assembly includes a shell for attachment to a cylinder head of a compression ignition engine and having a passageway extending axially therethrough. The ion sensor glow plug assembly also includes an insulator disposed at least partially in the passageway of the shell and having an aperture extending axially therethrough. The ion sensor glow plug assembly includes a glow bulb made of an insulative material and including a heating element disposed therein. The glow bulb extends through the aperture and into the passageway of the shell and is operatively connected to a source of power to create a heating circuit. The ion sensor glow plug assembly further includes a conductive material extending axially along the glow bulb and operatively connected to a source of power to create an ion sensing circuit.

Ion sensor bulb-shaped glow plug assembly

A glow sensor provides functions of both a diesel engine glow plug for aiding fuel ignition during starting and low temperature operation and an ion sensor for sensing engine combustion initiation and characteristics. Compact glow sensor components may be assembled directly in combination with an engine combustion chamber defining component, such as a cylinder head, to provide a combination in which separate housings or shells for the glow sensors are not needed. Thus, the glow sensor elements and insulation may be made larger to provide greater electrical resistance in the ion sensor electrical circuit and enhance the operation of the ion sensor function. Various forms of glow sensors may optionally be used in such a combination including, for example, metal sheath type glow sensors with either isolated or non-isolated coils and ceramic rod or flat plate type glow sensors. Exemplary embodiments of glow sensor components mounted in a cylinder head are disclosed.

Glow sensor and engine component combination

The invention includes a spark plug for a combustion engine including a center electrode having a tapered portion with a plurality of ridges formed thereon. The spark plug may also include a tapered, ground electrode positioned over the center of the center electrode. The tapered center and ground electrodes allow for flames to propagate freely from the spark gap into the combustion chamber and to ignite an air-fuel mixture in the chamber leading to smooth idle and faster starts.

Spark plug with grooved, tapered center electrode

The invention includes an automotive exhaust gas sensor including an inside belleville design, wherein a belleville spring is located inside a middle shell sub-assembly and below an upper insulator. The design provides for improved interior loading pressures with improved resiliency for a self-contained air reference source exhaust gas sensors.

Watertight exhaust gas sensor

A spark plug has a center electrode and a side electrode made of an iron-base, heat resistant (iron, chromium, aluminum, rare earth) alloy. Each electrode has a precious metal insert of a composition that thermally matches the base alloy of the electrodes. The electrodes are made by a method which coats the electrodes with a protective coating to reduce operational oxidation and lead/oil deposit degradation of the interface between such iron based heat resistant alloys and an insert button in the center and side electrodes so as to extend the spark plug's life.

Extended life spark plug/igniter

A system for controlling emissions of particulates and heavy organic vapors in the exhaust gases of diesel engines includes, in a preferred embodiment, a heat exchanger for cooling the engine exhaust gases below the condensation temperature of the organic vapors and their resultant adsorption onto the entrained particulates, and a particulate trap connected to receive the cooled gases from the heat exchanger and collect therefrom entrained particulates and heavy organic vapors adsorbed thereon. A bypass system is provided to direct high temperature exhaust gases around the filtration device to avoid desorption of condensed vapors from the collected particulates and other auxiliary filter and control means are included.

Diesel exhaust particulate and organic vapor emission control

A diesel particulate trapping and incineration system including a porous wall monolithic ceramic filter element having dual open-ended inlet passages separated from adjacent exhaust passages by particulate filtering porous walls. A balancing system for the distribution and incineration of particulates is provided including dual inlet ducts feeding exhaust gases to both ends of the inlet passages and valve means for controlling the amount of inlet gas flow entering the open opposite ends of the inlet ducts. In this way control is obtained of distribution of particulates over the length of the inlet duct walls as well as of the incineration of particulates upon heating of the exhaust gases to incineration temperature.

Diesel engine exhaust trap particulate distribution and incineration

A sheathed electric heater for use as an engine glow plug or the like is formed by providing a closed end metal sheath, installing a centered electric heating element that approaches the sheath closed end, adding a small amount of sinterable metal powder covering the end of the heating element at the closed end of the sheath, filling the remaining volume around the element with granular electrical insulating material, swaging the assembly to reduce its diameter, extend its length and compact the insulation, and sintering the metal powder by passing electric current therethrough to provide a low resistance electrical connection between the heating coil and the closed end of the sheath.

Electric heater -method of making

A fibrous filter element for trapping diesel engine exhaust particulates comprises a mass of coiled wire of flattened cross section compacted into a small passage gas pervious body. The base wire is made of high temperature resistant metal, preferably an iron chromium aluminum alloy. The wire is coated with a particulate collection-enhancing coating of titanate ceramic.

Coiled fibrous metallic material and coating for diesel exhaust

Related arrangements of diesel exhaust particulate traps are disclosed wherein particulate filter elements are formed from porous ceramic monoliths made of high temperature ceramic and containing passage defining micronic pores intercepted by high temperature ceramic fibers retained in the ceramic substrate and extending into the passages to provide surfaces for separating particulates from the gases passed through the element.

Diesel exhaust particulate traps

A readily manufacturable heated solid electrolyte oxygen responsive exhaust gas sensor. An elongated heater is insulatingly supported in subassembly with a tubular reference electrode terminal in desired predetermined disposition relative to the solid electrolyte. The heater has an enlargement intermediate its ends. The heater is coaxially nested within a pair of ceramic sleeves, with the sleeves axially spaced by the enlargement. The sleeves are in turn coaxially disposed within the electrode terminal, and clamped together by inward electrode terminal shoulders, one of which is preferably formed by crimping. The heater enlargement is preferably integrally formed. No special inlet need be provided in the sensor for admission of air when air reference is used.

Heated electrolyte exhaust gas sensor and method of making it

A variable capacitor includes a metal diaphragm arranged to flex in response to an applied pressure differential serving as a movable capacitor plate and a fixed capacitor plate closely spaced from the diaphragm. At least one of the two capacitor plates has an insulating layer of metal oxide formed thereon to prevent electrical contact therebetween. By making the capacitor plate of an iron-chrome-aluminum alloy and heating the capacitor plate, an aluminum oxide layer is formed thereon. The fixed capacitor plate is formed in a hat-shaped configuration with the brim portion spaced far from the diaphragm by an insulating spacer to minimize the fixed capacitance around the edge of the capacitor assembly.

Capacitive pressure transducer

A readily manufacturable heated solid electrolyte oxygen sensor having an elongated heater supported in subassembly with a tubular terminal for a reference electrode of the sensor. The heater is coaxial with the electrode terminal for predetermined disposition with respect to the sensor solid electrolyte member. The heater includes a rod coaxially in a ceramic tube and a resistance heating coil and crimped outer connector around the ceramic tube. Fused glass, directly bonded to the ceramic tube, supports the heater in the electrode terminal.

Growing community of inventors

Flint, MI, United States of America

Gamdur S Mann