Abstract:
A pressure control valve assembly (10) includes a linear actuator (12) portion and a hydraulic portion (14). The linear actuator (12) includes an improved plunger (72) that has an enlarged diameter portion (106 OD ) near the secondary plate (80). The linear actuator (12) further includes a plunger-to-primary plate interface that has a double step (130, 132) magnetic configuration, which increases the force developed on the plunger (72).
Abstract:
An apparatus 10 monitors at least one fuel quality characteristic of fuel passing through a fuel delivery system 12 of a motor vehicle. The apparatus 10 includes a fuel rail assembly 18 connectable to the fuel delivery system 12 of the motor vehicle. A fuel rail assembly 18 has at least one housing 14 associated with either a pressure regulator or an accumulator. A sensor is associated with the fuel rail assembly 18 for measuring at least one characteristic of fuel quality of fuel passing through the fuel rail assembly 18 . At least one characteristic includes temperature and/or impedance. The sensor 16 can include a pair of plates 20, 22 spaced from one another by a gap of between approximately 0.5 mm to approximately 1.0 mm, inclusive, for measuring impedance across the gap.
Abstract:
A fuel tank interface (10) assembly is provided. The assembly provides interface and control to a plurality of different types of components (e.g., 22, 24, 26, 28). Some of the components may be situated inside the tank. A connector (52) is sealingly mounted through a single opening in the tank and is configured to provide at least two electrical leads for each different type of component in the tank. A unitary control unit (50) is electrically coupled to the connector and is configured to provide control to each of the plurality of different type of components through each of the at least two electrical leads.
Abstract:
Linear velocity sensor and method for reducing non-linearity in the output signal of the sensor are provided. The sensor comprises a ferromagnetic housing 22 including an opening. The sensor further comprises a spool 32 disposed in the housing. The spool includes a bore 30 for receiving a slidable ferromagnetic rod 26. The ferromagnetic rod may be extendable through the opening in the housing. A magnet 28 is mounted at the one end of the rod distal from the opening when the rod is substantially inserted in the bore. A coil 50 is wound on the spool. The number of turns of the coil is arranged to taperingly increase as the coil progresses from an end of the spool proximate the opening in the housing to the opposite end of the spool. The tapering arrangement for the number of turns of the coil is selected to reduce non-linearity of an output signal of the coil indicative of linear velocity.
Abstract:
Soot content in Diesel engine lubrication oil (28) is determined using electrical resistance measurements of the oil at high frequency. A sensor (10) in the form of a capacitor (26) is immersed in the oil, wherein the oil serves as a dielectric between the plates (22, 24). The capacitance (C) and resistance (R) between the plates change as a function of engine oil condition. An inductor (54) is placed in series with the sensor, and high frequencies are sweeped over a range to fmd resonance where the capacitive and inductive reactances cancel. At this frequency, the resistance (R) of the oil (28) is measured and the condition of the oil thereby determined.
Abstract:
A sensor ( 46 ) for sensing the angular position of a rotatable body ( 10 ) including a stationary transmitter plate ( 12 ) with at least one transmitter electrode ( E, F ), a stationary receiver plate ( 14 ) with at least a first and a second receiver electrode ( A, B, C, D ), and a rotor ( 16 ) formed of a dielectric material and positioned between the facing electrodes ( A , B, C, D, E, F ) of the plates ( 12, 14 ). The rotor ( 16 ) is smaller than the plates ( 12, 14 ) and rotates with the rotatable body ( 10 ) to change the capacitance between the transmitter electrode(s) ( E, F ) and opposed receiver electrodes ( A, B, C, D ). The induced voltages on the receiver electrodes ( A, B, C, D ) indicate the angular position of the rotatable body ( 10 ). Preferably, the sensor ( 46 ) uses a square waveform signal and two transmitter electrodes ( E, F ) receive signals 180 degrees out of phase. Then, four receiver electrodes ( A, B, C, D ) forming two receiver pairs ( AC, BD ) are connected so that the current flowing between each pair is measured and converted to a voltage. A lookup table compares the values of the voltage pairs to known values ( 46, 48 ) from calibration, giving the angular position.
Abstract:
A method to calculate a fuel driveability index (DI) value is provided from a sample of fuel in a container as tested by the industry standard ASTM D86 test (28) providing particular temperature data at various percentages of evaporation as the container is heated. The particular temperature data provides a DI value. The same sample of fuel is tested on a sensor capable of retaining a predetermined volume of fuel (30). Temperature data is monitored at the same percentages of evaporation as the sensor is being heated (32, 34). Correlation equations are mathematically calculated between the temperature data from the sensor relative to the particular temperature data from the ASTM D86 test (36) and stored in the engine controller (26) of a vehicle (38). The fuel from the fuel tank (14) is tested by heating (42) a similar on-board sensor (10) having the predetermined volume of fuel (40) and measuring the temperature data (44) as a function of the remaining fuel in the sensor. The stored correlation equations are applied to the measured temperatures to provide the required temperature data to calculate the DI value for the fuel in the fuel tank (46).
Abstract:
An engine oil contamination sensor (10) includes a first sensing electrode (24) and a second sensing electrode (26). A sensing area (22) is established between the electrodes (24, 26). The sensor (10) is oriented in an oil pan such that the sensing are (22) is completely submerged in engine oil (14). A microprocessor (32) is connected to the sensing electrodes (24, 26) and includes a program for determining whether antifreeze is dispersed in the engine oil (14).
Abstract:
A method for compensating signals from an absolute angular position sensor assembly is used in conjunction with an absolute angular position sensor (10) assembly having an input gear (12) coupled to a rotating shaft (16). The input gear (12) is meshed with an output gear (14) that rotates as the input gear (12) and the shaft (16) rotate. The sensor assembly (10) includes an input gear sensor (22) and an output gear sensor (24) placed in proximity to the input gear (12) and output gear (14), respectively. The gears (12, 14) are configured so as to be sensed by the sensors (22, 24). The method includes determining an angular position compensation value that is used to adjust an absolute position of the input gear (12), which in turn is used to compute the absolute position of the rotating shaft (16). The angular position compensation value for the revolution N + 1 is determined as APCV N+1 = (APRS N - AAPIG N ) / + APCV N, wherein APCV N+1 is the angular position compensation value for the revolution N + 1, APRS N is the angular position of the rotating shaft (16) for the revolution N, AAPIG N is the adjusted angular position of the input gear (12) for the revolution N, is a compensation factor that is greater than one, and APCV N is angular position compensation value for the revolution N.