Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc.

Hitachi Astemo Americas, Inc.

Prashanth Avireddi

Anthony P Boone

Frank Warren Hunt

Nikhil Seera

Zachariah Rabatah

Heming Chen

Akira Inoue

Malcolm Mizuba

Minoru Hashida

Nicholas Ryan Dal Pra

Naoki Oka

Michael Romano

Jahan Assadi

Su-Wei Sung

In some examples, a system includes an airflow sensor disposed at least partially within an air intake system for an engine. The airflow sensor may be configured to measure a flow rate of air flowing past the airflow sensor in the air intake system, and includes a sensor element and a heater associated with the sensor element. A heater control circuit may control the heater to control a temperature of the sensor element. Further, a processor may be configured by executable instructions to cause the heater control circuit to, in a first operation mode, maintain the sensor element at a higher temperature range, and, in a second operation mode, maintain the sensor element at a lower temperature range that is above an ambient temperature and that is lower than the higher temperature range.

Reducing mass airflow sensor contamination

In some examples, a fuel injector rail assembly may include a fuel rail including a tubular body, with a fuel outlet passage formed through a wall of the tubular body. An injector cup may be connected to the tubular body and may include an injector chamber configured to receive a fuel injector. A first fuel passage formed in the injector cup may include a first diameter, and the first fuel passage may be connected to the fuel outlet passage of the tubular body. Additionally, a second fuel passage may be formed in the injector cup between the first fuel passage and the injector chamber. The second fuel passage may have a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter of the first fuel passage.

Fuel injector cup with flow restriction passage

In some examples, a mass airflow sensor apparatus includes a housing having a tubular bore for passage of air, with an airflow sensor disposed at least partially within the tubular bore. The airflow sensor may be configured to measure a flow rate of air flowing past the airflow sensor. A focus component may be disposed upstream of the mass airflow sensor, the focus component including a cylindrical tubular focus member suspended within the bore. Further, a nozzle may be disposed upstream of the focus component. The nozzle may include a conical inner surface angled toward a center of the bore. In addition, a grid component may be disposed upstream of the focus component. The grid component may include a mesh grid including a plurality of openings for smoothing a flow of air flowing toward the airflow sensor.

Calibration-free mass airflow sensor

A shock absorber having an outer tube, an inner tube disposed coaxially in the outer tube and a piston reciprocally mounted in the inner tube. The interior of the inner tubes forms a working chamber for hydraulic oil while an annular replenishment chamber is formed between the inner and outer tubes. An improved base plate and base cage assembly facilitates fluid flow from the replenishment chamber to the working chamber during an extension cycle of the shock absorber.

Shock absorber

A fuel pump having a housing defining a pump chamber and an inlet and outlet fluidly connected to the pump chamber. A one way check valve is disposed fluidly in series between the pump chamber and the outlet and is oriented to allow fluid flow from the pump chamber and to the outlet when the check valve is open. A venturi tube is fluidly connected in series between the pump chamber and the outlet which effectively dampens noise pulsations. An inlet valve to the pump chamber has an anchor attached to a valve member and the stationary core. A conical surface on the core abuts against a complementary conical surface on the anchor when the valve is either in its fully open or fully closed position.

Automotive fuel pump

The driver's driving behavior will be recorded and a signature will be created either on vehicle or on a cloud data center. The driver signature can be accessed using secure authentication by any vehicle he will be driving. The data collection is a continuous process monitoring driving behavior of the driver. The guidelines from OEM are used to compare driver signature with ideal driving characteristics. Changes are pushed to the vehicle controller to modify controls of individual automotive components to adjust the efficiency of vehicle and improve the ride comfort for the driver. The changes to be made can be decided on a remote cloud system or on the vehicle.

Active vehicle performance tuning based on driver behavior

A fluid valve assembly having a housing with a valve seat which forms a fluid port. A valve is movable along an axis relative to the port between an open and a closed position. This valve includes a protrusion complementary in shape to, but slightly smaller than, the port. The protrusion is at least partially positioned in the port when the valve is in its closed position at which time a clearance space between the port and the protrusion is sufficiently small to prevent fluid flow through the port. A main spring disposed between the housing and the valve resiliently urges the valve towards its closed position. A second spring is also operatively positioned between the valve and the housing which urges the valve away from the valve seat towards its open position and prevents contact between the valve and the valve seat.

Growing community of inventors

Farmington Hills, MI, United States of America

Prashanth Avireddi