All The Claims

We claim:

1. An improved electronics component assembly in a tire comprising:
a tire;
an electronics package for communicating information from said tire to a remote location, said electronics package incorporated in said tire;
at least a first antenna wire incorporated in said tire, and connected to said electronics package;
wherein said at least first antenna wire is connected to said electronics package such that tension in said at least first antenna wire imparts compression on said electronics package.
2. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 1, wherein:
said at least first antenna wire passes across a first side of said electronics package and is connected to a first end of said electronics package.
3. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a second antenna wire incorporated in said tire, and connected to said electronics package;
wherein said first and second antenna wires are connected to said electronics package such that tension in said first and second antenna wires imparts compression and torsion on said electronics package.
4. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 3, wherein:
said first antenna wire is offset from said electronics package and is located proximate to said electronics package on one side of said electronics package, said first antenna wire is connected to a first end of said electronics package; and
said second antenna wire is offset from said electronics package and is located proximate to said electronics package on a side of said electronics package opposite from said first antenna, said second antenna wire is connected to a second end of said electronics package.
5. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 4, wherein said electronics package has a rectangular face and said first and second antenna wires are connected at opposite corners of said rectangular face of said electronic package.
6. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 1, wherein said electronics package and said at least first antenna wire is located on an inner surface of said tire.
7. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 1, wherein said electronics package and said at least first antenna wire are embedded in said tire.
8. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 1, wherein said electronics package and said at least first antenna wire is located in the sidewall of said tire.
9. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least first antenna wire has undulations configured for allowing said at least first antenna wire to flex.
10. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 1, wherein said electronics package is an integrated circuit made up of a silicon chip and a radio frequency device.
11. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 1, wherein said electronics component assembly measures the pressure inside said tire and communicates this pressure to the remote location.
12. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 11, wherein said electronics component assembly measures the temperature inside said tire and communicates this temperature to the remote location.
13. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 1, wherein said electronics component assembly communicates identification information to the remote location.
14. An improved electronics component assembly in a tire comprising:
a tire;
an electronics package for communicating a condition of said tire to a remote location, said electronics package incorporated in said tire;
a first antenna wire incorporated in said tire and connected to said electronics package, said first antenna wire used for communication between said electronics package and the remote location;
a second antenna wire incorporated in said tire and connected to said electronics package, said second antenna wire used for communication between said electronics package and the remote location; and
wherein said first and second antenna wires are connected to said electronics package such that tension in said first and second antenna wires imparts compression on said electronics package.
15. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 14, wherein:
said first antenna wire passes across a first side of said electronics package and is connected to a first end of said electronics package; and
said second antenna wire passes across a second side of said electronics package, said first and second sides of said electronics package being opposite from one another, said second antenna wire being connected to a second end of said electronics package.
16. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 14, wherein said electronics package and said first and second antenna wires are located on an inner surface of said tire.
17. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 14, wherein said electronics package and said first and second antenna wires are embedded in said tire.
18. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 14, wherein said electronics package and said first and second antenna wires are located in the sidewall of the tire.
19. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 14, wherein said first and second antenna wires have undulations configured for allowing said first and second antenna wires to flux.
20. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 14, wherein said first and second antenna wires are connected to diagonally opposite corners of said electronics package.
21. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 20, wherein said electronics package is rotated in orientation with respect to said first and second antenna wires such that said diagonally opposite corners of said electronics package are generally aligned with said first and second antenna wires.
22. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 14, wherein said first antenna wire is connected to a second end of said electronics package and said second antenna wire is connected to a first end of said electronics package, the connection points of said first and second antenna wires being at different horizontal and vertical locations with respect to a first side of said electronics package.
23. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 14, wherein said first and second antenna wires are connected to said electronics package such that tension is said first and second antenna wires imparts torsion on said electronics package.
24. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 23, wherein:
said first antenna wire is offset from said electronics package and is connected to a second end of said electronics package at an angle of approximately 135 from a flat edge of said second end; and
said second antenna wire is offset from said electronics package and is connected to a first end of said electronics package at an angle of approximately 135 from a flat edge of said first end.
25. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 14, wherein said first and second antenna wires are connected to said electronics package such that tension in said first and second antenna wires imparts shear on said electronics package.
26. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 14, wherein said electronics package is an integrated circuit made up of a silicon chip and radio frequency device.
27. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 14, wherein said electronics component assembly measures the pressure inside said tire and communicates this pressure to the remote location.
28. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 27, wherein said electronics component assembly measures the temperature inside said tire and communicates this temperature to the remote location.
29. The improved electronics component assembly of claim 14, wherein said electronics component assembly communicates identification information to the remote location.
30. An improved electronics component assembly for use in a tire of a vehicle, comprising:
an electronics package for communicating the pressure of a tire to a remote location, said electronics package located inside of the tire and connected to tire on the side of the tire bead of the tire;
a first antenna wire located inside of the tire and connected to the tire on the sidewall of the tire proximate to the bead of the tire and connected to said electronics package, said first antenna wire is connected to a second end of said electronics package opposite a direction in which said first antenna extends relative to the electronics package;
a second antenna wire located inside of the tire and connected to the tire on the sidewall of the tire proximate to the bead of the tire and connected to said electronics package, said second antenna wire is connected to a first end of said electronics package, opposite a direction in which said second antenna extends relative to the electronics package.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method comprising:
forming a 3D investment mold using a layer-by-layer construction for receipt of a molten alloy having a composition configured to form a bulk metallic glass (BMG) on cooling,
wherein the mold is configured to be filled with a molten amorphous alloy to form a housing of an electronic device.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the 3D investment mold comprises a hollow interior between inner and outer walls, and wherein the hollow interior is configured to receive the molten amorphous alloy for molding the molten amorphous alloy between the inner and outer walls.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the layer-by-layer construction comprises a selective laser sintering (SLS) technique.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the layer-by-layer construction comprises a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) technique.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the layer-by-layer construction comprises a selective laser melting (SLM) technique.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the layer-by-layer construction comprises an electron beam melting (EBM) technique.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein a layer of the layer-by-layer construction is deposited from a plurality of outlets.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after forming, filling the formed 3D investment mold with the molten amorphous alloy;
removing bubbles from the molten amorphous alloy;
quenching the molten amorphous alloy in the 3D investment mold, and then
removing the 3D investment mold from the molded housing of the electronic device.
9. A method comprising:
filling a 3D investment mold formed by a layer-by-layer construction process with molten alloy;
quenching the molten alloy in the 3D investment mold, and then
removing the 3D investment mold from the quenched, molded alloy,
wherein the 3D investment mold is configured to form a bulk metallic glass (BMG) part that is part of an electronic device.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising removing bubbles from the molten alloy.
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising vibrating the 3D investment mold, and wherein the mold is at least vibrated during the filling.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the vibrations applied to the 3D investment mold are ultrasonic.
13. The method of claim 9, further comprising applying a vacuum via a vacuum source to at least the 3D investment mold, and wherein the molten alloy is filled under vacuum.
14. The method of claim 9, further comprising heating the 3D investment mold.
15. The method of claim 9, further comprising heating the 3D investment mold before filling and applying a vacuum via a vacuum source to at least the 3D investment mold, wherein the mold is filled with the molten alloy under vacuum.
16. The method of claim 9, further comprising vibrating the 3D investment mold and applying a vacuum via a vacuum source to at least the 3D investment mold, wherein the mold is at least vibrated during the filling and wherein the mold is filled with the molten alloy under vacuum.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the vibrations applied to the 3D investment mold are ultrasonic.
18. The method of claim 9, wherein the 3D investment mold comprises a hollow interior provided between inner and outer walls, and wherein the hollow interior is configured to receive the molten alloy when filling the mold with the molten alloy between the inner and outer walls.
19. The method of claim 9, wherein the 3D investment mold includes at least one portion therein formed via the layer by layer construction process configured to form at least one undercut or overhang feature in the bulk metallic glass (BMG) part, and wherein the filling of the 3D investment mold includes filling the 3D investment mold with the molten alloy to form the at least one undercut or overhang feature in the bulk metallic glass (BMG) part of the electronic device.
20. The method of claim 9, wherein the removing of the 3D investment mold comprises mechanically or chemically removing the 3D investment mold from the quenched, molded alloy.
21. The method of claim 9, further comprising polishing the BMG part after removing the 3D investment mold.
22. A method comprising:
supplying molten amorphous alloy to a mold comprising a layer-by-layer construction, the molten amorphous alloy having a composition configured to form a bulk metallic glass (BMG) product on cooling, and
removing the BMG product from the mold after cooling of the molten amorphous alloy,
wherein the mold comprises a cavity between two walls for receiving the molten amorphous alloy therein.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the BMG product is a part of an electronic device.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the mold includes at least one portion therein formed via the layer by layer construction process configured to form at least one undercut or overhang feature in the BMG product part, and wherein the supplying of the mold includes supplying the mold with the molten amorphous alloy to form the at least one undercut or overhang feature in the BMG product of the electronic device.
25. The method of claim 22, further comprising vibrating the mold.

We claim as our invention:

1. A cartridge (10) for dispensing an extrudable fluid, the cartridge (10) comprising:
a cylindrical body (12) for holding the fluid, the body (12) having opposing open ends (14, 16) and formed of a wound material and lined internally with a liner material, the liner material overlapping itself to form a raised area (34) that is slightly thicker than the surrounding area;
a dispensing fitment (20) for sealing one open end (16) of the cylindrical body (12); and
a plunger (18) comprising a slightly convex surface (36) and a sidewall (40) extending upward from the periphery of the convex surface (36), the sidewall (40) comprising a bottom section (42) nearest the convex surface (36), a middle section (44) adjacent the bottom section (42), and an upper section (46), the bottom section (42) having an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the cylindrical body (12), the middle section (44) having an outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of the bottom section (42) but less than the inner diameter of the cylindrical body (12), the upper section (46) forming a snug fit with the cylindrical body (12); and
an air venting channel (A) adjacent the raised area (34) and defined by the plunger sidewall (40) and the cylindrical body (12).
2. The cartridge (10) of claim 1 wherein the middle section (44) further comprises an annular sealing band (56) extending outward from the middle section (44) and contacting the cylindrical body (12) when the plunger (18) is inserted into the body (12); the band (56), middle section (44), upper section (46) and cylindrical body (12) defining an annular area (B) in which fluid gets trapped when the plunger (18) is inserted into a fluid-filled cartridge (10) and pressed against the surface of the fluid.
3. The cartridge (10) of claim 1 wherein the plunger (18) further comprises an upper edge (50) defining a plane and the upper section (46) further comprises a flange (48) extending outward from the upper edge (50), the flange (48) allowing air and fluid to exit but not enter the cartridge (10).
4. The cartridge (10) of claim 3 wherein the flange (48) digs into the inside surface of the cylindrical body (12) when the plunger (18) is inserted.
5. The cartridge (10) of claim 3 wherein the flange (48) has a flat upper surface (52) even with the plane of the upper edge (50) of the plunger (18) and an angled lower surface (54) that tapers inward toward the plunger sidewall (40).
6. The cartridge (10) of claim 5 wherein the flange upper and lower surfaces (52, 54) define an angle of about 45 degrees.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for operating a lane keeping system of a vehicle which provides a vehicle trajectory guidance by determining a cutting trajectory that enables a curve section of a predefined road lane to be cut by the vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, by the lane keeping system, information about the curve section of the predefined road lane via an interface;
dividing, by the lane keeping system, the curve section of the predefined road lane into at least one curve segment having a segment length and a start curvature, the curve segment being a straight-line segment or a circular arc segment or a curve segment whose curvature is a function of an arc length of the curve segment;
determining, by the lane keeping system, a cutting trajectory within the predefined road lane from the at least one curve segment, so that, at a specific point of the curve section of the predefined road lane, the cutting trajectory has a predetermined offset relative to a center of the predefined road lane; and
providing, by the lane keeping system, a vehicle trajectory guidance along the determined cutting trajectory;
wherein the cutting trajectory is divided into a plurality of trajectory segments having a segment length and a start curvature, the start curvature corresponding to the end curvature of a preceding trajectory segment, and the curvature thereof either being constant over the arc length of the trajectory segment in the form of a straight-line segment or circular arc segment or changing linearly with the arc length of the trajectory segment in the form of a clothoid segment;
wherein the straight-line segment length, the clothoid segment length, the start curvature of the clothoid segment, a parameter of the clothoid segment, the circular arc segment length and the circular arc curvature are so adjusted that a maximum curvature of the clothoid segment trajectory and a curvature of the circular arc segment trajectory is in each case less than a maximum curvature of the curve section, and in which a straight-line trajectory is determined which is associated with the straight-line segment, a clothoid trajectory is determined which is associated with the clothoid segment, and a circular arc trajectory is determined which is associated with the circular arc segment, and in which the cutting trajectory is determined from the straight-line trajectory, the clothoid trajectory and the circular arc trajectory;
wherein the straight-line trajectory, the clothoid trajectory and the circular arc trajectory are determined taking into consideration a vehicle speed and a curve section curvature.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the straight-line trajectory, the clothoid trajectory and the circular arc trajectory are so determined that the cutting trajectory has, at an apex of the curve section, a predetermined offset toward the inside of the curve relative to the center of the lane.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the straight-line trajectory, the clothoid trajectory and the circular arc trajectory are so determined that an angular direction of the cutting trajectory at a start point corresponds to an angular direction of the center of the lane at a start point and an angular direction of the cutting trajectory at an end point corresponds to an angular direction of the center of the lane at an end point.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
ascertaining a lateral guidance of the vehicle based on the cutting trajectory, the lateral guidance being suitable for steering the vehicle through the curve section along the cutting trajectory.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
dividing a route section of the roadway into a plurality of curve sections representing a curve entry, a curve that becomes tighter or that opens out, an S-bend andor a curve exit, and for each of the plurality of curve sections a cutting trajectory is determined, and a trajectory for the route section is formed by stringing together the cutting trajectories of the plurality of curve sections.
6. A method for operating a lane keeping system of a vehicle which provides a vehicle trajectory guidance by determining a cutting trajectory that enables a curve section of a predefined road lane to be cut by the vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, by the lane keeping system, information about the curve section of the predefined road lane via an interface;
dividing, by the lane keeping system, the curve section of the predefined road lane into at least one curve segment having a segment length and a start curvature, the curve segment being a straight-line segment or a circular arc segment or a curve segment whose curvature is a function of an arc length of the curve segment;
determining, by the lane keeping system, a cutting trajectory within the predefined road lane from the at least one curve segment, so that, at a specific point of the curve section of the predefined road lane, the cutting trajectory has a predetermined offset relative to a center of the predefined road lane; and
providing, by the lane keeping system, a vehicle trajectory guidance along the determined cutting trajectory;
wherein the cutting trajectory is divided into a plurality of trajectory segments having a segment length and a start curvature, the start curvature corresponding to the end curvature of a preceding trajectory segment, and the curvature thereof either being constant over the arc length of the trajectory segment in the form of a straight-line segment or circular arc segment or changing linearly with the arc length of the trajectory segment in the form of a clothoid segment;
wherein the straight-line segment length, the clothoid segment length, the start curvature of the clothoid segment, a parameter of the clothoid segment, the circular arc segment length and the circular arc curvature are so adjusted that a maximum curvature of the clothoid segment trajectory and a curvature of the circular arc segment trajectory is in each case less than a maximum curvature of the curve section, and in which a straight-line trajectory is determined which is associated with the straight-line segment, a clothoid trajectory is determined which is associated with the clothoid segment, and a circular arc trajectory is determined which is associated with the circular arc segment, and in which the cutting trajectory is determined from the straight-line trajectory, the clothoid trajectory and the circular arc trajectory;
wherein in a region directly adjoining the curve section, at least one further circular arc trajectory is determined so that a further curve trajectory has, in the region, a further predetermined offset relative to the center of the lane.
7. A lane keeping system of a vehicle which provides a vehicle trajectory guidance by determining a cutting trajectory that enables a curve section of a predefined road lane to be cut by the vehicle, comprising:
a receiving arrangement to receive information about the curve section of the predefined road lane via an interface;
a dividing arrangement to divide the curve section of the predefined road lane into at least one curve segment having a segment length and a start curvature, the curve segment being a straight-line segment or a circular arc segment or a curve segment whose curvature is a function of an arc length of the curve segment;
a determining arrangement to determine a cutting trajectory within the predefined road lane from the at least one curve segment, so that, at a specific point of the curve section of the predefined road lane, the cutting trajectory has a predetermined offset relative to a center of the predefined road lane; and
a control arrangement to provide a vehicle trajectory guidance along the determined cutting trajectory;
wherein the cutting trajectory is divided into a plurality of trajectory segments having a segment length and a start curvature, the start curvature corresponding to the end curvature of a preceding trajectory segment, and the curvature thereof either being constant over the arc length of the trajectory segment in the form of a straight-line segment or circular arc segment or changing linearly with the arc length of the trajectory segment in the form of a clothoid segment;
wherein the straight-line segment length, the clothoid segment length, the start curvature of the clothoid segment, a parameter of the clothoid segment, the circular arc segment length and the circular arc curvature are so adjusted that a maximum curvature of the clothoid segment trajectory and a curvature of the circular arc segment trajectory is in each case less than a maximum curvature of the curve section, and in which a straight-line trajectory is determined which is associated with the straight-line segment, a clothoid trajectory is determined which is associated with the clothoid segment, and a circular arc trajectory is determined which is associated with the circular arc segment, and in which the cutting trajectory is determined from the straight-line trajectory, the clothoid trajectory and the circular arc trajectory;
wherein the straight-line trajectory, the clothoid trajectory and the circular arc trajectory are determined taking into consideration a vehicle speed and a curve section curvature.
8. A non-transitory, computer readable medium having a computer program, which is executable by a processor, comprising:
a program code arrangement having program code for operating a lane keeping system of a vehicle which provides a vehicle trajectory guidance by determining a cutting trajectory that enables a curve section of a predefined road lane to be cut by the vehicle, by performing the following:
receiving, by the lane keeping system, information about the curve section of the predefined road lane via an interface;
dividing, by the lane keeping system, the curve section of the predefined road lane into at least one curve segment having a segment length and a start curvature, the curve segment being a straight-line segment or a circular arc segment or a curve segment whose curvature is a function of an arc length of the curve segment;
determining, by the lane keeping system, a cutting trajectory within the predefined road lane from the at least one curve segment, so that, at a specific point of the curve section of the predefined road lane, the cutting trajectory has a predetermined offset relative to a center of the predefined road lane; and
providing, by the lane keeping system, a vehicle trajectory guidance along the determined cutting trajectory;
wherein the cutting trajectory is divided into a plurality of trajectory segments having a segment length and a start curvature, the start curvature corresponding to the end curvature of a preceding trajectory segment, and the curvature thereof either being constant over the arc length of the trajectory segment in the form of a straight-line segment or circular arc segment or changing linearly with the arc length of the trajectory segment in the form of a clothoid segment;
wherein the straight-line segment length, the clothoid segment length, the start curvature of the clothoid segment, a parameter of the clothoid segment, the circular arc segment length and the circular arc curvature are so adjusted that a maximum curvature of the clothoid segment trajectory and a curvature of the circular arc segment trajectory is in each case less than a maximum curvature of the curve section, and in which a straight-line trajectory is determined which is associated with the straight-line segment, a clothoid trajectory is determined which is associated with the clothoid segment, and a circular arc trajectory is determined which is associated with the circular arc segment, and in which the cutting trajectory is determined from the straight-line trajectory, the clothoid trajectory and the circular arc trajectory;
wherein the straight-line trajectory, the clothoid trajectory and the circular arc trajectory are determined taking into consideration a vehicle speed and a curve section curvature.