Other

Nu-tech & Engineering, Inc.

Terrill Designs, Inc.

Gmi Engineering & Management Institute

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Atoma International Corporation

Transtron Inc.

Ibis Tek, LLC

Futaba Corporation of America

Water Weenies, Inc.

Michael E Salmon

David L Ehle

John A Ayres

Craig A Ayres

Jeffrey G Hovis

Gary L Dumer

John E Nemazi

John S Briski

Paul W Hunkele

William S Hyde

Gary C Wheat, Jr

Brent W Rankey

Joseph D Polk

Robert H Parker

Martin F Folgmann

Brent W Pankey

A tilt switch activated light apparatus suitable for use in connection with an egress of a vehicle, the apparatus including a magnet disposed within a cavity of a housing, where the cavity is shaped so that in the event of excessive roll or pitch of the vehicle, the magnet moves to a location adjacent a switch connecting a power source to a light source, causing the switch to close and so activating the light source. An external body, either ferromagnetic or magnetic, and external to the housing and removable therefrom, may be used to hold the magnet inside the cavity in a neutral position, away from the switch, during shipping.

Tilt switch activated light for use with a vehicle egress

An integrated robotic cell having robot and series of sensors is able to process a component as desired by an operator using an interactive interface display. The integrated robotic cell includes a robotic arm connected a central processor unit as well as a series of monitors and sensors that thoroughly supervise the operation of the robotic arm and component to verify that there are no errors. The central processing unit is connected to the interface display, which allows the operator to control the operation of the robotic cell. The interface display incorporates a series of threads, with each thread having of a series of sequential processes to be performed by the robotic cell. The operator is thereby able to view and easily control the simultaneous processes being performed in the robotic cell.

Integrated robotic cell

Apparatus having a mandrel, and a ring having an aperture therein, the ring being slidable over the mandrel. A multilead electronic component having electric leads extending therefrom is positioned atop the mandrel. The ring is pressed over the mandrel, bending the electric leads downward. When the ring is retracted, springback forces within the bent electric leads forces them against the inside of the ring; and the multilead electronic component is retained therewithin. The ring is then used, either manually or robotically, to position the component proximate a printed-circuit board with the electric leads aligned with connection apertures in the printed-circuit board. The multilead electronic component is pressed toward the printed-circuit board, forcing the leads through the connection apertures; and the ring is withdrawn for subsequent use. Another embodiment provides a pusher, which is manually or robotically slidable within the ring aperture, to press the multilead electronic component toward the printed-circuit board.

Apparatus for configuring and inserting component leads into printed-circuit boards

A miniature crossed coil gauge is provided having an oriented rare earth magnet fixedly mounted on a rotary shaft for supplying a magnetic flux directed transverse to the shaft axis. The gauge housing provided by an upper and lower bobbin surrounds the magnet and supports the rotary shaft. A first and second coil are wound about the gauge housing in a crossed coil orientation encircling the magnet. A flux ring is disposed around the first and second coils axially aligned with respect to the magnet. The magnet has sufficient strength and the flux ring is mounted in sufficiently close proximity to the first and second coils to redistribute the flux supplied by the magnet so that the magnetic flux measured at the surface of the coils is substantially increased relative to the magnetic flux density measured with the flux ring removed. This gauge construction facilitates the fabrication of gauges so small that they can be directly mounted on printed circuit boards using conventional electronic component mounting equipment.

Miniature crossed coil gauge having an active flux ring

A miniature telltale module which combines a plurality of telltale functions into one unit and provides reduced cost per function. The module uses a miniature rotary actuator or driver, an image disc having a series of interconnected images or icons and a single light source. The actuator or driver allows a wide tolerances at the inputs while still precisely selecting the image positions. The module includes a light absorbing shield disposed about a light source and having a light opening positioned and sized to provide illumination of the icon, containment of light not directed through the light opening, and control of the angle of light emitted from the opening.

Miniature telltale module

An instrument panel having analog gauges with pointers illuminated independently of the light source illuminating the scale indicia. Light is transmitted into the pointer via a facet having an inclined reflective surface through which a gauge motor output shaft passes. The facet may be integrally formed in the light distribution layer which illuminates the scale indicia or a separate discreet component. A novel telltale used in conjunction with an instrument panel having a light distribution layer is also provided which illuminates the telltale indicia by passing light through the light distribution layer without affecting the illumination of other indicia in the graphic layer. Method of manufacturing analog gauges as well as method for using an analog gauge to transmit information to a viewer.

Instrument panel and method of gauge assembly therefor

An instrument display method and system for use in a passenger vehicle has a number of advantageous features including particularly novel, compact, inexpensive and inherently stable electric motors. A first motor includes a rotor assembly having a shaft and a cylindrical magnet which is positioned about a stator assembly to rotate thereabout. The shaft extends through a stator of the stator assembly, a vacuum fluorescent display (VFD), and an indicia bearing layer. A mask such as a needle pointer is secured to the shaft of the rotor assembly at the indicia bearing layer to convey the value of instrument data to the passenger. A light emitting panel receives light from the VFD and transmits the light to other positions along the display system where other substantially identical electric motors move their needle pointers to likewise convey additional data to the passenger. The first motor is surface mounted directly on the back of the VFD which has electrical conductors formed therein. The other motors are mounted so that their shafts extend through the optical sheet and the indicia bearing layer. In one embodiment, a light beam projecting mechanism projects light beams modified by the various needle pointers to a reflective surface which, in turn, reflects the modified light beams toward the passenger. In another embodiment, the projecting mechanism includes a combiner which projects the modified light beams into the passenger's field of view.

Instrument display method and system for passenger vehicle

An instrument panel includes analog gauges with pointers illuminated independently of the light source illuminating the scale indicia. Light is transmitted into the pointer via a facet having an inclined reflective surface through which a gauge motor output shaft passes. The facet may be integrally formed in the light distribution layer which illuminates the scale indicia or a separate discreet component. A novel telltale used in conjunction with an instrument panel having a light distribution layer is also provided which illuminates the telltale indicia by passing light through the light distribution layer without affecting the illumination of other indicia in the graphic layer. Method of manufacturing analog gauges as well as method for using an analog gauge to transmit information to a viewer is also molded.

Illuminated pointer for an analog gauge and related method of use and

A three-piece instrument cluster assembly including a circuit board, a light sheet assembly and a retainer for retaining the circuit board and light sheet assembly. The light sheet assembly is positioned between the circuit board and retainer. The instrument cluster assembly is provided with at least one alignment element and corresponding alignment receivers for mating engagement with each corresponding alignment element for aligning the circuit board, the light sheet assembly and the retainer.

Three piece instrument cluster assembly and method

Electric motor, controller therefor and methods for controlling and

An automatic water heating and distilling apparatus is provided having a hot water reservoir, an evaporator tank, a condenser, a distilled water reservoir and a control mechanism. Water is boiled within the evaporator tank generating steam which is condensed in the condenser to form distilled water. The heat rejected during condensation is transferred into the hot water reservoir. The distilled water reservoir has an input coupled to the condenser, an output for distilled water, and an overflow so that excess distilled water is returned to the evaporator tank. The control mechanism automatically regulates the operation of a heater within the evaporator to maintain the water in the hot water reservoir within a selected operating range. Various alternative embodiments are also described including a hot water heating apparatus utilizing an enclosed heat transfer device partially filled with liquid having a boiling point above the selected temperature for the water to be heated. A heat transfer device is provided with a reservoir portion for accumulating liquid and a relatively higher condensive portion in cooperation with the hot water reservoir. A heater, a temperature sensor, and a control mechanism are likewise provided to automatically maintain the water in the hot water reservoir within a selected temperature range.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, AL, United States of America

Michael E Salmon