Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

John P Miller

Frank C Valeri

Scott M Reilly

Alan G Holmes

Steven E Schulz

Khwaja M Rahman

William R Cawthorne

Michael D Hanna

Yo Chan Son

Song He

Peter H Foss

Bryan R Snyder

Jack M Gayney

Mark A Theobald

Michael J Grimmer

Caleb W Secrest

Ian R Singer

Sen J Zhou

Tim M Grewe

David R Lancaster

James A Cogswell, Ii

Randall J Guild

Mark G Kosowski

Steven E Schultz

Oliver Jung

James T Lagodzinski

Martin G Foulkes

Gilsu Choi

Jeffrey D Curtis

Andrew J Kasal

Aja Anjilivelil

Soo-Yeol Lee

David J Freiman

A sound reduction assembly includes a housing and a component supported via the housing. The component is movable relative to the housing. The sound reduction assembly includes a ring coupled to the component and the housing. The ring is configured to attenuate sound inducing vibrations in response to operation of the component. The ring includes a flange fixed relative to the housing to maintain a position of the ring relative to the component which maximizes attenuation of the sound in response to operation of the component. A method of utilizing a ring to attenuate sound inducing vibrations in response to operation of a component inside of a housing. A torque is selected to be applied to the ring. A stiffness of the ring is determined based on a stiffness-torque curve utilizing the selected torque to maximize attenuation of the sound. The ring is manufactured to meet the determined stiffness.

Sound reduction assembly, a ring configured to attenuate sound and a method

In various embodiments, methods, systems, and vehicles are provided for masking a tonal noise of a motor. In certain embodiments, a vehicle includes a drive system and an active masking acoustic signal generator (AMAG). The drive system includes a motor generating a tonal noise. The AMAG is configured to at least facilitate masking the tonal noise, by introducing a complementary harmonic tone, injecting dithering into the motor, or both.

Active masking of tonal noise using motor-based acoustic generator to improve sound quality

A vehicle including a powertrain system that includes an electric machine electrically connected to a power inverter is described, wherein the powertrain system is operative in an electric vehicle mode to generate propulsion torque. A method for controlling the powertrain system includes determining a vehicle speed, and determining a preferred audible sound to be generated by the powertrain system when operating in the electric vehicle mode at the vehicle speed. A control signal for the power inverter is determined, and is associated with operating the powertrain system in the electric vehicle mode at the vehicle speed. The preferred audible sound is incorporated into the control signal for the power inverter, and the power inverter is controlled to operate the electric machine employing the control signal and the preferred audible sound.

Method and apparatus for operating a vehicle employing non-combustion torque machine

A method of controlling a power inverter coupled to an electric motor in a vehicle powertrain having an engine is provided. The method includes generating a voltage waveform signal and a switching frequency signal for the inverter via a controller. At least one of the voltage waveform signal and the switching frequency signal is at least partially based on at least one commanded engine operating parameter. For example, the engine on/off state, engine torque, and engine speed can be considered. A vehicle having a controller configured to implement the method is also provided.

Inverter control method and vehicle having same

A method of masking sounds associated with a vehicle is provided. The method includes performing on processing circuitry, monitoring of vehicle data. A tonal disturbance type and a tone to mask associated with the tonal disturbance type are identified based on the vehicle data. A shaped band of sounds is determined based on the tone to mask. The shaped band of sounds covers a range of frequencies around the tone to mask. The shaped band of sounds is applied to an audio output of the vehicle.

Masking vehicle noise

A method of manufacturing a non-ferrous, light metal alloy vibration-damped part for a vehicle chassis includes introducing a polymer insert into a cavity formed in the part. The polymer insert may be introduced into the cavity by separately fabricating the polymer insert and then sliding or maneuvering the insert into the cavity or by injecting a liquid polymer material into the cavity and then solidifying and shrinking the liquid polymer material into the polymer insert. The vibration-damped light metal alloy part can damp vibrations that originate within or are imparted to the part when such vibrations effectuate relative contacting frictional movement between an exterior surface of the polymer insert and an interior surface of the cavity.

Manufacturing a vibration damped light metal alloy part

A clutch reaction plate includes an annular device having a plurality of radially configured, alternating inwardly-oriented splines and keys, the splines and keys configured to meshingly engage a coaxial correspondingly-splined second device inserted therein. Selected ones of the splines include a bi-directional impact absorption device configured to engage selected ones of the splines of the inserted second device when a torque load is applied in one of a first rotational direction and a second, opposing rotational direction. The remaining splines engage the remaining splines of the inserted second device when the applied torque load exceeds a reaction force of the bi-directional impact absorption device.

Bi-directional impact absorption device for a clutch reaction plate

Methods and apparatus are provided for reducing torque ripple in a permanent magnet motor system comprising a permanent magnet motor coupled to an inverter. The method comprises the steps of receiving a torque command, generating a torque ripple reduction signal in response to the torque command, modifying operational control signals in response to the torque ripple reduction signal to generate reduced ripple operational control signals, and providing the reduced ripple operational control signals to the inverter for control of the permanent magnet motor.

Method and apparatus for torque ripple reduction

An internal combustion engine's start-up torsional disturbances are reduced by drawing down intake manifold pressure prior to engine cranking. In a preferred arrangement, a secondary air injection reaction pump is adapted for evacuating the intake manifold to effect the desired draw down of the intake manifold pressure.

Method and apparatus for engine torque disturbance reduction during cranking

A positive displacement rotary pump including a housing having an internal chamber and inlet and discharge ports, a sealing land on the housing between a downstream end of the inlet port and an upstream end of the discharge port, and a rotating group in the internal chamber defining a plurality of pump chambers. The pump chambers traverse in succession and at regular intervals the inlet port and the sealing land and the discharge port. The housing has a stationary pre-charging passage which communicates with the discharge port and overlaps the sealing land. The rotating group includes a plurality of rotating pre-charging passages which communicate with respective ones of the pump chambers. As each rotating pre-charging passage attains overlap with the stationary pre-charging passage, the low pressure of the fluid trapped in the corresponding pump chamber sealed closed in the sealing land increases rapidly and induces a pulse in the fluid in the discharge port and in the fluid system connected to the discharge port. The angular separation between the rotating pre-charging passages is randomly unequal so that the intervals between pulses are irregular. The irregular intervals between the pulses suppresses tonal pump noise.

Positive displacement rotary pump

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Howell, MI, United States of America

John P Miller