The Bendix Corporation

Allied Corporation

Alliedsignal Inc.

Kavlico Corporation

Other

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Custom Sensors & Technologies, Inc.

Siemens Automotive Corporation

Gary L Casey

Mark A Brooks

Ambrose Tomala

William C Eddy

Albert Blatter

William B Claxton

John A Miller

Nhan Nguyen

David G Elpern

Alan Cross

John E Cook

Douglas R Verner

Murray F Busato

Kenneth S Towers

Marcos A Nassar

Robert E Fallis

Robert A McArthur

Jack R Phipps

Daniel J Patient

John D Hanson

Bruce J Harvey

Calin Miclaus

Saleh U Ahmed

Bruce H Tuller

Granville Hurlong, Jr

Kenneth A Hebert

Calin Miciaus

A stovetop popcorn cooker (popper) contains a rotating shaft inclined with respect to the vertical axis of its bowl and is connected to and rotates a stirrer parallel to the bottom. The unique connection between the shaft and stirrer allows the stirrer to remain in continuous contact with the bottom while being rotated by the inclined shaft. A hinged lid extends over the majority of the top area of bowl. The bowl (pot), the cross-section of which has a flat bottom, may incorporate a first curved portion tangent to the bottom and second curved portion tangent to a cylindrical portion at the top.

Stovetop popcorn popper

Described herein is the sensor assembly and method for rapidly obtaining accurate readings of a variable. The sensor assembly comprises a plurality of sensors which are connected to a microcontroller that processes the signals of the individual transducers to the microcontroller. The microcontroller contains software that maximizes the refresh rate and/or minimizes the time it takes to process the outputs of each of the transducers. The microcontroller that is coupled to the sensor assembly selectively measures the outputs of each transducer so as to speed up the refresh rate of the sensor.

Sensor assembly and method

Described herein is the sense element assembly for a capacitive pressure sensor and method for creating same that has increased sensitivity without additional size. The sense element assembly and method includes fabricating an off-centered elliptically shaped center electrode, at least one elliptical annular-like electrode around the center electrode, a ground electrode and a method for fusing the layers together to optimize sensitivity.

Sensor element assembly and method

A method for monitoring pressure is described herein. The method includes the steps of performing an accurate measurement of pressure and performing an approximate measurement of pressure. Then, providing a notification signal if a difference between the approximate measurement and the accurate measurement is greater than a predetermined value. An apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed.

Method and apparatus for tire pressure monitoring

A weight measurement system is disclosed for measuring the weight of an occupant in a vehicle seat. In a preferred embodiment, a sensor is positioned at the rear portion of the vehicle seat and a load transfer link is used to transfer the weight from the front portion of the vehicle seat to the rear portion, to be measured by the sensor. The transfer link is a selectively compliant beam having a first rigid section and a second rigid section connected to each other via a flexible area. The first and second rigid sections preferably include wing portions for increasing the rigidity of the sections. The flexible area is more compliant than the rigid sections. The load transfer link is configured to transition a load placed on the front portion of the link to the rear portion. In a more preferred embodiment of the invention, the load transfer link is made of a high strength, low alloy steel.

Weight transfer link

A tilt sensor having a printed circuit board disposed in a direction normal to a reference plane for measuring a tilt angle with a pair of electrodes formed on a first surface of the printed circuit board. A cover is affixed to the printed circuit board and creates a cavity between the cover and the printed circuit board with a predetermined gap between the cover and the pair of electrodes, the cover acting as a common electrode to the pair of electrodes to create a pair of capacitors. An inert liquid is contained in the cavity, the surface level of the inert fluid varying according to the tilt angle of the reference plane. A signal processing circuit is formed on a second surface of the printed circuit board that produces an output signal corresponding to a difference in capacitance between the two capacitors as a tilt angle detection output.

Integrated tilt sensor

A fuel tank module control system configured to measure fuel level and fuel tank vapor pressure, the system having an aspirator to use air or liquid fuel to vapor, an oscillator cyclically producing pressurized vapor, and a pressure sensor that alternately measures the pressurized vapor provided by the oscillator and the pressure of a fuel column. A check valve is provided downstream of the sensor to restrict the flow of vapor in a single direction. To determine the fuel level, the differential of the square wave output of the sensor is calculated. To determine if there are any leaks in the fuel tank, the tank vapor pressure is measured when the engine is off.

Fuel tank module control system

Seat weight measurement system

A control system for producing first and second fluid sources whose pressure difference is regulated to a desired value in response to four fluid supplies of independently variable pressures. The pressure of the first fluid source is not allowed to decrease substantially below the third fluid supply pressure or rise substantially higher than the desired value above the pressure of the third fluid supply. The pressure of the second fluid source is not allowed to rise substantially above the fourth fluid supply pressure or decrease substantially lower than the desired value below the pressure of the third fluid supply. The system may consist of a diaphragm-type pressure regulator which is responsive to the difference in pressure of the two fluid sources. One side of the regulator is selectively valved to connect to one of two pressure supplies while the other side is selectively valved to connect to one of two additional pressure supplies.

Differential pressure supply system

A solenoid-operated fluid switching valve is described with a movable valve member and a stationary member; the movable member containing at least 2 valve elements that seat in the closed position against valve seating elements, the valve and valve seating elements being made from components that can be precisely matched in thickness and interleaved so that all pairs of elements open and close essentially simultaneously. The solenoid portion can consist of at least 2 armature elements connected by a spacer and at least 2 stator elements connected by a spacer, all of which made from magnetically permeable material, and one or more electrical coils located within the envelope; the armature and stator elements interleaved in a way to create at least 2 substantially equal gaps so the armature is urged in one direction when electrical current is applied to the coils.

High speed solenoid valve

A method and system for sensing pressure in a seat cushion are embodied in a pressure sensing system including a bag positioned within the seat cushion and a pressure sensor which is mounted to an outer surface of the bag. The bag is filled with a fluid and includes a plurality of fluidically connected sections formed to restrict a flow of fluid between the sections. The pressure sensor includes a diaphragm and is mounted to the bag with the diaphragm being positioned against the outer surface of the bag such that the pressure sensor provides an indication of a pressure of the fluid in response to movements of the outer surface toward the diaphragm.

Seat cushion pressure sensing system and method

A valve including a housing defining an interior, entry port, an exit orifice, and a fuel path between the entry port and exit orifice, a magnetic coil associated with the interior of the housing, and a resilient valve element defining an outer section fixedly secured to the housing, an interior section engaging and closing the exit orifice, and a spring section between the outer section and the interior section defining at least one aperture. The resilient valve element will be deflected such that the interior section of the valve element is disengaged and spaced apart from the exit orifice in response to an application of a predetermined voltage to the coil.

Fuel injection valve and engine including the same

An on-board diagnostic system for an evaporative emission control system of an internal combustion engine powered vehicle employs a positive displacement reciprocating pump to create in evaporative emission space a pressure that differs significantly from ambient atmospheric pressure. The pump is powered by using engine intake manifold vacuum to force an intake stroke during which both an internal spring is increasingly compressed and a charge of ambient atmospheric air is created in an air pumping chamber space. Vacuum is then removed, and the spring relaxes to force a compression stroke wherein a portion of the air charge is forced into the evaporative emission space. The rate at which the pump reciprocates to alternately execute intake and compression strokes indicates the pressure and flow through a leak in the evaporative emission space. Detection of this rate serves as a measurement of leakage for the purpose of distinguishing integrity of the evaporative emission space from non-integrity.

Integrity confirmation of evaporative emission control system against

A system and method of controlling pressure in a wheel brake cylinder of a brake. The hydraulic cylinder is connected to an electrically driven pump and a flow control valve is connected between the pump and the wheel cylinder. The system and method operate to control the speed of a motor driven pump to generate a desired pressure in a cylinder of the brake; generate a differential pressure, in the flow control valve, proportional to pump flow and communication same to a spring biased valving element; cause the valving element to move, in response to pressure forces acting on the valving element, generated by the pressure differential, and the force of the bias spring, so as to selectively open and close an associated exhaust port, connected to a drain or sump, such that in the steady state an equilibrium condition is achieved where the pressure forces balance the spring force and the pressure in the hydraulic cylinder is constant.

Direct acting electro-hydraulic braking system with regulated leak rate

A fluid control valve (10) comprising: a fluid carrying core (12) and separatable magnetic field generating portion (14). The fluid carrying core (12) comprises: a magnetic armature (30) movable through a working gap (32) within a thin walled tube (34). The armature includes a first plurality of grooves (100) to permit fluid flow thereacross. The tube is joined to a magnetic first member (50) in a manner to form a leak-free seal (56) generally at one end of the tube. A second member (80) partially seals the other end of the tube and includes second flow means a second plurality of axial grooves (84) for receiving fluid carried to the valve (10) and for communicating same with the armature (30). Various passages are provided to carry fluid to and from the valve. The position and number of passages permit the valve to be used as a two-way valve or as a three-way valve passage means (88;64) for transporting fluid away from the valve (10).

Growing community of inventors

Troy, MI, United States of America

Gary L Casey