Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Allison Engine Company, Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Delco Electronics Corporation

Rolls-royce Corporation

Autoliv Development Ab

Delco Electronics Corporaiton

Kurt F O'Connor

Donald J Frasier

Heidi Mueller-Largent

John Henry Lane

Ralph E Peeler

James Rodney Whetstone

Floyd Freeman Trees

Ralph Edward Jeffries

James Paul Hoff

Barry C Worrell

Morgan Daniel Murphy

Matthew T Kush

Dennis C Nohns

Christopher P LaBoskey

James R Stewart

William Allen Chattin

A component includes a structural member and an outer wall covering the structural member with a gap between the outer wall and the structural member. The outer wall includes an array of holes, each of the array of holes extending from an exterior surface of the outer wall to an interior surface of the outer wall. The outer wall includes an array of recesses on the interior surface of the outer wall, each hole in the array of holes terminating within one of the array of recesses of the outer wall.

Controlling exit side geometry of formed holes

A method of manufacturing a steering wheel, comprising: forming a rim portion separately with a decorative outer coating via a first forming process; forming a hub separately from the rim portion via a second forming process, the hub having at least a pair of spoke portions; and securing the rim portion to the pair of spoke portions, wherein the decorative outer coating is applied to the rim portion prior to the rim portion being secured to the pair of spoke portions.

Method of manufacturing a steering wheel

An electrical connector capable of being sealingly connected to a housing structure by using a friction stir welding technique includes a polymeric electrical connector harness, at least one electrical conductor extending through the electrical connector harness, and a welding strip sealingly connected around a perimeter of the electrical connector harness to facilitate welding of the electrical connector to a housing structure, such as a sealed metal housing, to sealingly close an opening defined in the housing structure. The electrical connector can be used in a process that creates a hermetic seal between the connector and the housing structure, eliminates the need for mechanical fasteners and/or adhesives, and/or reduces capital equipment and energy costs.

Electronic connector and method of attachment

An aluminum-based die casting alloy exhibiting improved corrosion resistance and good die-castability contains from about 4.5 to about 12 percent silicon by weight, at least 87 percent aluminum by weight, from about 0.25 percent to about 0.6 percent manganese by weight, and a maximum of 0.2 percent copper by weight. The alloys preferably contain iron in an amount sufficient to improve hot tear resistance and to decrease the tendency for die sticking or soldering during die casting.

High corrosion resistance aluminum alloy

A parallel guide mechanism includes a peripheral housing and a central mass, for accepting a mechanical input from a user, located within the peripheral housing. The central mass moves responsive to the mechanical input. A first beam and a second beam horizontally separated by a gap and substantially located in a first plane extend from a first vertical surface of the central mass and connect the central mass to a first inner vertical surface of the peripheral housing. A third beam located in a second plane is vertically spaced apart from the first and second beams and is horizontally positioned in the first gap between the first and second beams and extends from the first vertical surface of the central mass and connects the central mass to the first inner vertical surface of the peripheral housing.

Parallel guide mechanism for a switch

Disclosed is a single-cast, thin wall structure capable of withstanding impinging gases at temperatures of 4300&deg; F. and higher, and method of making the same.

Single-cast, high-temperature, thin wall structures

A switch mechanism for an electronic mechanism, particularly in an automobile or other vehicle. The switch member or button has a pair of post members which are positioned on supporting members on a retainer member. The support members also position the switch member or button in the retainer member and hold it fictionally in alignment along its side surfaces. Pad members also can be provided on the support members. The switch mechanism minimizes noise, undesirable side-to-side movement and undesirable twisting movement of the button member. The switch mechanism also allows control of the 'feel' of the button actuation.

Self-aligning button retainer

A single-cast, thin wall structure capable of withstanding impinging gases at temperatures of 4300.degree. F. and higher, and method of making the same.

Single-cast, high-temperature, thin wall structures and methods of

A rapid prototyping process and apparatus by which prototype components can be fabricated for conceptual evaluations. The rapid prototyping process entails the steps of forming a prototype within a process chamber that generates the prototype on a platform of a build chamber through sequentially depositing a layer of material on the platform, fusing the layer of material together, and then lowering the platform so as to allow depositing of a subsequent layer of material on the platform. In this manner, the depositing, fusing and lowering steps are repeated until the desired prototype is obtained. Thereafter, the build chamber, housing the prototype, is detached from the process chamber, and the prototype is cooled while remaining within the build chamber. The prototype is preferably cooled within the build chamber using a nonreactive cooling medium that is caused to flow around the prototype. The build chamber is specially adapted to be used as a cooling chamber that can be readily attached and detached from the process chamber, such that exposure of the prototype to a reactive atmosphere is avoided or at least minimized.

Rapid prototyping process and apparatus therefor

A stereolithography process for developing a prototype part in which inserts of a non-photopolymer material are included within the resulting part so as to develop a functioning prototype part. In order to allow the inserts to be placed within the developing prototype part, a series of STL files are defined for forming the prototype part in individual sections. A non-photopolymer insert is manually positioned on one section of the developing part each time a section is formed. In order to align one section to a subsequent section, alignment structures are developed by the STL files. In order to prevent the STL files from developing supporting structures in the cavities intended for the inserts, a supporting structure file is defined for a parent design, and then later combined with the STL files.

Method of combining metal and ceramic inserts into stereolithography

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing a cast structure. In one embodiment of the present invention an alloy casting mold has molten alloy injected therein to facilitate completely filling a part cavity within the mold. Further, an alloy charge pressure control device is utilized to reduce the charge pressure of the molten alloy during its injection into the mold cavity to minimize distortion and creep of the ceramic shell. In one form of the present invention the charge pressure control device removes excess alloy so as to reduce the head pressure of the molten alloy thereby eliminating the undesirable creep of the ceramic shell.

Method and apparatus for producing cast structures

A rapid prototyping process is provided by which prototype components can be fabricated that are suitable for conceptual evaluations. The rapid prototyping process of this invention is more efficient than comparable prior art processes, in that the previous requirement to completely process a prototype article within a single process chamber is eliminated, such that different process steps can be conducted simultaneously on different articles within a single process system. The process entails the steps of forming a prototype within a process chamber that generates the prototype through successively depositing and sintering individual layers of a powder material that fuses together so as to form the prototype. The prototype is then removed from the process chamber and cooled within a separate cooling chamber through which a nonoxidizing cooling medium flows.

Rapid prototyping process and cooling chamber therefor

A gas turbine component that includes a very thin wall. The gas turbine component being of a single-piece, single-cast structure. In one form of the gas turbine component it is formed of a superalloy composition and is capable of withstanding gases impinging upon the walls at temperatures greater than 4000.degree. F.

Single-cast, high-temperature thin wall gas turbine component

A method of making a fused polycarbonate pattern for casting alloy structures, particularly gas-turbine blades, or components. A plurality of powder layers are fused together by a laser beam in a layer-by-layer fashion to produce the pattern. A pattern/casting mold is made and the pattern is burned out in a flash flame oven at a temperature ranging from about 1600.degree. F. to about 2100.degree. F. Preferably the burn-out step is conducted in the presence of an air stream so that the polycarbonate pattern is burned out ash free.

Method of burning out polycarbonate patterns from ceramic molds

Disclosed is a single-cast, thin wall structure capable of withstanding impinging gases at temperatures of 4300.degree. F. and higher, and method of making the same. Using a bleed line of the instant invention allows for a decreasing metal pressure with respect to time which prevents any damage to the thin outer mold wall.

Growing community of inventors

Carmel, IN, United States of America

Kurt F O'Connor