公开(公告)号：US07132936B1

公开(公告)日：2006-11-07

申请号：US10189650

申请日：2002-07-03

Applicant: Peter Norton

Inventor： Peter Norton

IPC: B60Q1/00

CPC classification number: G01P13/00 ,  G01P7/00 ,  G01P15/08

Abstract: A sensor for measuring yaw rate or roll rate of an automotive vehicle comprises a freely rotating inertial disk and an angular rate sensor responsive to the rotation of the inertial disk relative to a housing. In one embodiment the inertial disk presents an alternating magnetic field at its circumference. The rate and direction of rotation of the inertial disk relative to its housing is determined by three magnetic field sensors such as linear Hall Effect sensors responsive to the field presented by the inertial disk. In another embodiment electronic cameras measure movement of fiducial marks on the inertial disk. Air surrounds the inertial disk and air viscosity gradually brings rotation to a stop. For yaw rate measurement the disk axis is oriented vertically and the inertial disk is supported in the radial direction by low friction bearings such as ball bearings or magnetic bearings and in the axial direction by substantially frictionless bearings such as magnetic bearings. In certain embodiments two magnetic poles operate as both axial and radial bearings. For the purpose of sensing incipient or actual vehicle rollover, the axis of the inertial disk is oriented in the direction of the roll axis of the vehicle. The angle of a recent rotation and rate of rotation of the inertial disk relative to the housing indicate the angle through which the vehicle has recently rotated about its roll axis and the roll rate of the vehicle.

Abstract translation: 用于测量机动车辆的偏航率或滚动速率的传感器包括自由旋转的惯性盘和响应于惯性盘相对于壳体的旋转的角速度传感器。 在一个实施例中，惯性盘在其圆周处呈现交变磁场。 惯性盘相对于其壳体的旋转速率和方向由三个磁场传感器确定，例如响应于由惯性盘呈现的场的线性霍尔效应传感器。 在另一个实施例中，电子照相机测量惯性盘上的基准标记的移动。 空气围绕惯性盘，空气粘度逐渐使旋转停止。 对于横摆率测量，盘轴垂直取向，惯性盘通过诸如球轴承或磁性轴承的低摩擦轴承在径向方向上被支撑，并且通过基本上无摩擦的轴承（例如磁性轴承）在轴向上被支撑。 在某些实施例中，两个磁极作为轴向和径向轴承都起作用。 为了感测初始或实际的车辆翻车，惯性盘的轴线被定向在车辆的滚动轴线的方向上。 惯性盘相对于壳体的最近旋转角度和转速表示车辆最近围绕其滚动轴线旋转的角度以及车辆的滚动速度。

公开(公告)号：US06311571B1

公开(公告)日：2001-11-06

申请号：US09625765

申请日：2000-07-26

Applicant: Peter Norton

Inventor： Peter Norton

IPC: G01L104

CPC classification number: G01L5/10 ,  G01L5/103 ,  G01L5/105

Abstract: A seat belt tension sensor has an anchor, a seat belt tension receiver, a moving arm force responder, and an arm sensor. The seat belt tension receiver applies force received from a seat belt to the moving arm force responder. The moving arm force responder is made of spring metal bent to have a base for receiving force and one or two arms that are urged to move by the received force. The arm sensor responds to the arm or arms by generating an electric signal. The anchor has an opening through which a seat belt, the seat belt tension receiver and the moving arm force responder pass. A cross member of the anchor spans the opening and withstands the large forces applied by the seat belt when the vehicle strikes an obstacle. An edge of the cross member is grooved to engage the base of the moving arm force responder in a way that provides low friction during flexing of the base. The base of the moving arm force responder operates as a low friction bearing for the movement of the seat belt tension receiver. A flexible suspension element made of spring metal operates as a second bearing and also operates as a preloading spring. In a preferred embodiment, the arm sensor comprises a semiconductor capacitance sensor responsive to the capacitance between two capacitor plates and two arms of a moving arm force responder.

Abstract translation: 安全带张力传感器具有锚固件，安全带张力接收器，移动臂力响应器和臂传感器。 安全带张力接收器将从安全带接收的力施加到移动臂力响应器。 移动臂力响应器由弹簧金属制成，弯曲成具有用于接收力的基座和被接收力推动的一个或两个臂移动。 臂传感器通过产生电信号来响应臂或臂。 锚具有开口，安全带，座椅安全带张力接收器和移动臂力响应器通过该开口。 当车辆撞击障碍物时，锚的十字架跨越开口并且承受由安全带施加的大的力。 横向构件的边缘是开槽的，以在基部弯曲期间提供低摩擦力的方式接合移动臂力响应器的基部。 移动臂力响应器的底座作为用于座椅安全带张力接收器运动的低摩擦轴承。 由弹簧金属制成的柔性悬挂元件作为第二轴承运行，并且还作为预加载弹簧操作。 在优选实施例中，臂传感器包括响应于两个电容器板和移动臂力响应器的两个臂之间的电容的半导体电容传感器。

公开(公告)号：US06292727B1

公开(公告)日：2001-09-18

申请号：US09218231

申请日：1998-12-22

Applicant: Peter Norton

Inventor： Peter Norton

IPC: G06F700

CPC classification number: B60R21/01532 ,  B60R21/01554 ,  B60R21/01556

Abstract: A vehicle seat occupant presence and position sensing system for vehicles equipped with air bags comprises means for measuring the magnitude and Q of capacitance between electrodes in the seat. The magnitude and Q are combined by a microprocessor to characterize the seat occupant and, if the occupant is a person, ascertain the distance of the back of the person from the back of the seat thereby distinguishing between a seat occupied by a normally seated person and certain other circumstances in which deployment of air bags is not desired. A microprocessor prevents air bag deployment when the seat has not held a normally seated person immediately prior to an accident. The position of the occupant relative to the seat, the track position and recline angle of the vehicle seat and vehicle deceleration during a crash are used to estimate the position of the occupant relative to a deploying air bag during the crash. Knowing the position of the occupant enables a highly accurate determination of the best usage to make of an air bag.

Abstract translation: 配有气囊的车辆的座椅乘员存在和位置感测系统包括用于测量座椅中电极之间的电容的大小和Q的装置。 大小和Q由微处理器组合以表征座椅乘客，并且如果乘客是人，则确定人的背部与座椅后部的距离，从而区分通常座位的人所占据的座位和 某些其他不希望部署气囊的情况。 当座椅在事故发生之前立即没有正常就座的人员时，微处理器可以防止气囊展开。 在碰撞期间乘客相对于座椅的位置，车辆座椅的轨道位置和倾斜角度以及车辆减速度被用于估计在碰撞期间乘客相对于部署气囊的位置。 了解乘员的位置使得能够高度准确地确定制作气囊的最佳用途。

公开(公告)号：US5857446A

公开(公告)日：1999-01-12

申请号：US714197

申请日：1996-09-16

Applicant: Peter Norton

Inventor： Peter Norton

IPC: F02M25/08 ,  F02M37/04

CPC classification number: F02M25/0854

Abstract: A canister contains two cartridges of activated carbon for storing fuel in gasoline powered motor vehicles. A first cartridge operates to prevent release of hydrocarbons vaporized in the fuel tank while the vehicle is not operating. The second cartridge performs two functions. First, the second cartridge traps fuel in vapor displaced during refueling. Second, the second cartridge is charged with adsorbed fuel after the engine is stopped. Vaporous fuel from the first and second cartridges is supplied to fuel the engine upon startup. An air-fuel ratio sensor and a fuel vapor sensor are achieved by comparing the transit time of sound in two chambers, one containing air and the other containing a mixture of air and fuel. After the engine is stopped a solenoid valve is closed and an electrically energized air pump draws vapor from the fuel tank through the second cartridge to charge it with fuel. Charging is terminated when the fuel vapor sensor senses that fuel has passed through the second cartridge without being adsorbed. The air-fuel ratio sensor measures the ratio of air to fuel provided to the engine during initial startup for controlling a valve to maintain a desired air-fuel ratio. A vacuum actuated spool valve reconnects one sensor enabling it to perform both the vapor sensing function and air-fuel ratio sensing function as required.

Abstract translation: 一个罐子包含两个用于在汽油动力汽车中储存燃料的活性炭盒。 第一筒操作以防止在车辆不操作时在燃料箱中蒸发的烃的释放。 第二个墨盒执行两个功能。 首先，第二个料筒在加油期间捕获蒸气中的燃料。 第二，在发动机停止之后，第二盒带有吸附的燃料。 来自第一和第二盒的蒸汽燃料在启动时被供应给发动机。 通过比较两个室中的声音的传播时间，一个包含空气，另一个包含空气和燃料的混合物来实现空燃比传感器和燃料蒸气传感器。 在发动机停止后，电磁阀关闭，电动空气泵通过第二盒从燃料箱抽取蒸气以对燃料进行充电。 当燃料蒸气传感器感测到燃料已经通过第二筒而不被吸附时，终止充电。 空燃比传感器测量在初始启动期间提供给发动机的空气与燃料的比例，用于控制阀以保持期望的空燃比。 真空致动滑阀重新连接一个传感器，使其能够根据需要执行蒸汽感测功能和空燃比感测功能。

公开(公告)号：US5571994A

公开(公告)日：1996-11-05

申请号：US183134

申请日：1994-01-18

Applicant: Peter Norton

Inventor： Peter Norton

IPC: B60R21/01 ,  G01P15/135 ,  G01P21/00 ,  H01H35/14 ,  H02G3/18

CPC classification number: B60R21/0173 ,  G01P15/135 ,  G01P21/00 ,  H01H35/14 ,  B60R2021/01027 ,  Y10S174/08

Abstract: A weatherproof seal for wire entrance into an enclosure for an electrical device in an automobile. The seal including a tubular element adapted for the passage of the wires entering the enclosure and a wrapper wrapped about the tubular element and also wrapped about a length of the wires outside of the tubular element and adjacent to one end of the tubular element. The wrapper including heat shrinkable tubing having a lining of meltable material that has been placed around the tubular element and the length of the wires and heated sufficiently to melt the meltable material and cause the heat shrinkable tubing to shrink.

Abstract translation: 用于进入汽车电气设备外壳的导线的防风雨密封件。 该密封件包括适于使进入外壳的电线通过的管状元件和围绕管状元件缠绕的包裹物，并且还围绕管状元件的一段长度的线缠绕并且邻近管状元件的一端。 包装材料包括具有已经放置在管状元件周围的可熔融材料的衬里的热收缩管和电线的长度并被充分加热以熔化可熔化材料并使热收缩管收缩。

公开(公告)号：US4992672A

公开(公告)日：1991-02-12

申请号：US358034

申请日：1989-05-26

Applicant: Peter Norton

Inventor： Peter Norton

IPC: H02J7/14 ,  H02M3/155 ,  H02P9/30

CPC classification number: H02M3/155 ,  H02J7/1438 ,  H02P9/307 ,  H02P2101/45 ,  Y02T10/7005

Abstract: A dual voltage power supply is disclosed for vehicles equipped with a DC generator, a single storage battery, a low voltage load circuit including the storage battery, and a high voltage load circuit including load devices designed to be powered by voltages higher than the battery voltage. At times when higher voltage power is required a low voltage regulator that includes a high current semiconductor switch converts power at the generator output voltage to power at a lower voltage for charging the battery and supplying the low voltage load circuit. There is a single voltage mode of operation when higher voltage power is not required in which the alternator is regulated to supply power at the voltage required by the low voltage load circuit and the high current semiconductor switch is held in its closed state to directly connect the generator output with the low voltage load circuit. The low voltage regulator is a switching DC to DC voltage converter with an N channel mosfet power transistor switch controlled by an improved driver circuit. The driver circuit has a floating totem pole output and a capacitively coupled input and is assisted by a pull down circuit and current from a low current supply. An input accepts a signal controlling whether the system operates in dual or single voltage mode. One or more transient absorbing semiconductors and a circuit for rapidly decreasing rotor current limit the duration of alternator overvoltage.

Abstract translation: 公开了一种双电压电源，用于配备有DC发电机，单个蓄电池，包括蓄电池的低压负载电路的车辆，以及高压负载电路，其包括被设计为由高于电池电压的电压供电的负载装置 。 有时需要较高的电压电源时，包括高电流半导体开关的低电压调节器将发电机输出电压的功率转换为较低的电压，以对电池充电并提供低压负载电路。 当不需要更高的电压功率时，交流发电机被调节为以低电压负载电路所需的电压供电并且高电流半导体开关保持在其闭合状态以直接连接 发电机输出与低压负载电路。 低压稳压器是一个开关直流到直流电压转换器，由改进的驱动电路控制的N沟道MOSFET功率晶体管开关。 驱动器电路具有浮动图腾柱输出和电容耦合输入，并由下拉电路和来自低电流源的电流辅助。 一个输入接受控制系统是在双电压还是单电压模式下工作的信号。 一个或多个瞬态吸收半导体和用于快速减小转子电流的电路限制交流发电机过电压的持续时间。

公开(公告)号：US4738148A

公开(公告)日：1988-04-19

申请号：US15582

申请日：1987-02-17

Applicant: Peter Norton

Inventor： Peter Norton

IPC: F02N15/06

CPC classification number: F02N15/066 ,  Y10T74/131 ,  Y10T74/139

Abstract: A starter drive is disclosed for a starting system of an internal combustion engine. A pinion is rotatably mounted on the starter motor shaft for engagement with the ring gear on the fly wheel of the engine. A drive sleeve disposed coaxially of the shaft is coupled with the pinion through an overrunning clutch. A helical cam and follower are connected between the shaft and the drive sleeve for advancing and retracting the pinion according to the relative speeds of the drive sleeve and the shaft. A friction brake is provided for the drive sleeve to restrain it against rotation during advancing movement of the starter drive. The starter motor has a permanent magnet field and the armature is connected across an electromagnet by the starter switch when it is turned off to provide dynamic braking for the motor. The electromagnet coacts with the permanent magnet brake to disable the friction brake while the motor is slowing down.

Abstract translation: 公开了一种用于内燃机起动系统的起动机驱动装置。 小齿轮可旋转地安装在起动电动机轴上，用于与发动机的飞轮上的齿圈接合。 与轴同轴设置的驱动套筒通过超速离合器与小齿轮联接。 螺旋凸轮和从动件连接在轴和驱动套筒之间，用于根据驱动套筒和轴的相对速度使小齿轮前进和后退。 提供摩擦制动器用于驱动套筒在启动器驱动器的前进运动期间限制其旋转。 起动电动机具有永久磁场，当电动机关闭时，电枢通过起动开关连接在电磁体上，为电动机提供动态制动。 电磁体与永久磁铁制动器共同作用，以在电机减速时禁用摩擦制动。

公开(公告)号：US4604528A

公开(公告)日：1986-08-05

申请号：US569723

申请日：1984-01-10

Applicant: Peter Norton

Inventor： Peter Norton

IPC: H02J7/14 ,  H02P9/30

CPC classification number: H02J7/1438 ,  H02P9/307 ,  H02P2101/45 ,  Y10T307/406 ,  Y10T307/675

Abstract: A dual voltage power supply for a vehicle is disclosed with a DC generator, a single storage battery, a low voltage load circuit including the storage battery and a high voltage load circuit including load devices designed to be powered by voltages higher than the battery voltage. A high voltage regulator is responsive to the generator output voltage and controls the energization of the field winding of the generator for causing the generator to produce an output voltage meeting the requirements of the high voltage load circuit. A low voltage regulator receives the output voltage of the generator and produces a substantially constant regulated voltage for charging the battery and supplying the low voltage load circuit.

公开(公告)号：US4588060A

公开(公告)日：1986-05-13

申请号：US597077

申请日：1984-04-05

Applicant: Peter Norton

Inventor： Peter Norton

IPC: F16D21/06 ,  F16D43/02 ,  F16D11/06 ,  B62D5/04

CPC classification number: F16D21/06 ,  F16D43/02

Abstract: A mechanical coupling is disclosed for a power steering system with a servo-motor drive through a drive transmitting member to the driven member and the fail-safe manual drive through a lost motion coupling between the control member and the driven member. First and second normally disengaged one-way clutches are provided for coupling the drive transmitting member with the driven member in first and second directions, respectively. First and second engaging means are provided for engaging the first and second one-way clutches, respectively, in response to movement of the control member in said first and second directions, respectively.

Abstract translation: 公开了一种用于动力转向系统的机械联轴器，该动力转向系统具有通过驱动传递构件到被驱动构件的伺服电动机驱动，以及通过控制构件和被驱动构件之间的空转联动的故障安全手动驱动。 提供第一和第二正常分离的单向离合器用于分别在第一和第二方向上将驱动传递部件与从动部件联接。 第一和第二接合装置分别用于响应于控制构件在所述第一和第二方向上的移动而分别接合第一和第二单向离合器。

公开(公告)号：US4520438A

公开(公告)日：1985-05-28

申请号：US516574

申请日：1983-07-25

Applicant: Peter Norton

Inventor： Peter Norton

IPC: H02M7/5387 ,  H02P13/20

CPC classification number: H02M7/5387

Abstract: A switching amplifier in a bridge circuit configuration is provided with an improved base drive circuit which is highly efficient. The base drive circuit includes a base current shunting transistor across the base-to-emitter circuit of each high current transistor. The first and second high current transistors have their base-to-emitter circuits connected across the supply voltage terminals of the bridge in series with first and second inductors and in series with a first base current regulating transistor. The current in the first and second inductors increases while the first base current regulating transistor is turned on. The first and second diodes provide respective current paths for current through the first and second inductors and the base-to-emitter circuits of the first and second high current transistors when the first base current regulating transistor is turned off. The base drive circuits for the third and fourth high current transistors are the same as that as those described for the first and second high current transistors. A control circuit is disclosed for the base current regulating transistor to maintain the base drive current at a predetermined value. A load current sensing circuit is disclosed to obtain an accurate indication of the output current of the amplifier.

Abstract translation: 桥式电路配置中的开关放大器具有高效率的改进的基极驱动电路。 基极驱动电路包括跨越每个高电流晶体管的基极到发射极的基极电流分流晶体管。 第一和第二高电流晶体管的基极与发射极之间的电路连接在与第一和第二电感器串联的桥的电源电压端上，并与第一基极电流调节晶体管串联。 当第一基极电流调节晶体管导通时，第一和第二电感器中的电流增加。 当第一基极电流调节晶体管截止时，第一和第二二极管为电流提供各自的电流通过第一和第二电感器以及第一和第二高电流晶体管的基极到发射极电路。 用于第三和第四高电流晶体管的基极驱动电路与对于第一和第二高电流晶体管所描述的相同。 公开了用于基极电流调节晶体管的控制电路，以将基极驱动电流维持在预定值。 公开了负载电流检测电路以获得放大器的输出电流的精确指示。