Abstract: A tire (3) for vehicles, which does not require pressurization by means of a pressurized fluid, has a tread (16), two sidewalls (15), and two beads (8) attached to a wheel rim (2) and made of elastomer material; the tire is provided with at least one tubular reinforcement body (18) which is associated with the tread; each of the sidewalls have a respective homogeneous resilient annular membrane (24).

Abstract: A tyre (3) for vehicles, which does not require pressurisation by means of a pressurised fluid, has a tread (16), two sidewalls (15), and two beads (8) attached to a wheel rim (2) and made of elastomer material; the tyre is provided with at least one tubular reinforcement body (18) which is associated with the tread; each of the sidewalls have a respective homogeneous resilient annular membrane (24).

Abstract: A tire for vehicles which does not require pressurization by means of a pressurized fluid has a tread, two sidewalls, and two beads which are attached to a wheel rim made of elastomer material, and is provided with at least one tubular reinforcement body which is associated with the tread; each of the sidewalls having a respective homogeneous resilient annular membrane, a straight generatrix of which forms an angle (A) other than 90° with the axis of the tire; the membranes being stretched radially between the tread and the beads such as to be pre-tensioned in the absence of external loads acting on the tire.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine (1) of the Otto type, comprising an induction pipe (3) in conjunction with the engine's (1) cylinders, a brake servo unit (15), a flow connection (29) for evacuating air from the brake servo unit (15) to the induction pipe (3) for the purpose of building up a vacuum inside the brake servo unit (15), in conjunction with which a Venturi unit (25) is arranged in the flow connection (17, 19) to assist with the building up of the aforementioned vacuum. The internal combustion engine is characterized in that the flow connection (17, 19) comprises a bypass line (29) having a lower flow resistance than the Venturi unit (25), the bypass line (29) being intended to connect the evacuated air past the Venturi unit (25) in the event of a transient vacuum in the induction pipe (3).

Abstract: The system controls the propulsion of a motor vehicle with a propulsion system (1) which includes an internal combustion engine (E) with a shaft (S) for coupling to a transmission (2). The system includes an accelerator (A) with an associated sensor devices (S1) for supplying electrical signals indicating the force (FP) applied on the accelerator (A) by the driver, and an actuator device (6) operable to alter the position of the accelerator (A).; sensor devices (S2) supplying electrical signals indicating the speed of rotation (n) of the shaft (S) and/or the vehicle speed (V); and an electronic control unit (SCU) operable to control the propulsion system (1) in dependence on the signals supplied by the sensor devices (S1) and (S2).

Abstract: The device is adapted to control the movement of a valve (1) of an internal combustion engine comprising a stem (1a) which may move in translation through an opening (2a) of a hollow guide body (2) and which ends in a mushroom head (1b) cooperating in operation with a valve seat (12) provided in a wall (13) of the engine head. The valve (1) may move in translation with respect to the hollow guide body (2) between a retracted position and a forward position in which the mushroom head (1b) respectively closes and opens the associated valve seat (12). The control device comprises an electromagnet (3) adapted, when energised, to retain the valve (1) in the retracted closed position, a first spring (7) associated with the valve (1) and tending to urge it towards the open position, and a second spring (8) also associated with the valve (1) and tending to oppose its transition into the open position.

Abstract: A tyre for vehicles which does not require pressurisation by means of a pressurised fluid has a tread, two sidewalls, and two beads which are attached to a wheel rim made of elastomer material, and is provided with at least one tubular reinforcement body which is associated with the tread; each of the sidewalls having a respective homogeneous resilient annular membrane, a straight generatrix of which forms an angle (A) other than 90° with the axis of the tyre; the membranes being stretched radially between the tread and the beads such as to be pre-tensioned in the absence of external loads acting on the tyre.

Abstract: According to the invention, the emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from the exhaust-gas system of diesel motors with particle filters can be minimized or prevented. During the regeneration of the particle filter, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are first fixed in adsorption layers and are cracked there at high temperatures. The cracking products are then preferably eliminated in an oxidation step.

Abstract: A crankshaft (1) includes a first to a sixth crank pin (41–46), a first to a fourth main journal (21–24) and a first to a ninth crank arm (61–69). At least the first, the second, the eighth and the ninth crank arms (61, 62, 68, 69) have respective integral counterweights (61?, 62?, 68?, 69?) for balancing the crankshaft (1). In order to reduce bending stress on the areas where the second and the eighth crank arms (62, 68) are connected to the respective pairs of adjacent crank pins (41–42, 45–46), the axial dimensions of the first and the ninth crank arms (61, 69) are reduced, being substantially the same as those of the adjacent crank arms (62, 68) in order that the axial length of the two end spans of the crankshaft is the same as that of the intermediate span. In order to balance the crankshaft (1), two additional counterweights (71, 72) are arranged outwardly of the end journals (21, 24) and their axial dimensions are comparable to those of the end crank arms (61, 69).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reducing NOx in exhaust gas flows of a motor vehicle, by means of a catalyst. The method is characterized in that an NOx absorbing material is provided in the catalyst.

Abstract: The invention relates to a catalyst for purifying NOX in the flow of exhaust gas of motor vehicles, and is characterized in that the catalyst contains modified clay minerals selected from the group consisting of bentonites, smectites, hectorites and mixtures thereof, all of which being pillared with aluminium, silicon or titanium (oxides).

Abstract: A motor vehicle comprises a pre-assembled front module (1) including a support structure (2); a propulsion unit (14); a steerable front wheel assembly (17); an intermediate support structure (20) for housing and supporting a windscreen; a planar load-bearing floor structure (30); a pre-assembled intermediate module (40) including a firewall (41), instrument panel (42), steering column (43, 44) and a control pedal assembly (45); a rear pre-assembled module (50) including a support frame (51), at least one pair of rear wheels (55); an annular rear structure (60); and two side structures (70).

Abstract: Circulation system for the coolant in an oil cooler (13) adapted to cool down the oil of the automatic transmission (2) of a motor vehicle in which the drain conduit (15) for the coolant from the oil cooler (13) of the transmission (2) is connected to said return conduit from the radiator, and that the exit mouth (16), of said drain conduit is inserted in the return conduit forming an angle A, said angle being more than 0° and less than 90°.

Abstract: In a system for releasing a pedal of a motor vehicle in the event of a frontal impact, the pedal includes a first, inner element which is transversely pivoted on a support secured to a front portion of the body of the vehicle and is able to operate a control rod, and a second, outer element having a lower, lever portion, operable by the driver, and an upper portion transversely pivoted on the inner element. A pair of tongues are provided for securing the said first and second elements together, and a stop member is mounted on a portion of the passenger compartment behind the pedal. The system can assume a first, normal operating condition, in which the elements are secured to each other by the tongues, and in a second condition, in the event of a frontal impact, in which rearward movement of the pedal towards the stop member causes the tongues to yield, thus allowing the outer element of the pedal to rotate relative to the inner element.

Abstract: The system comprises a control unit which, when the engine is stopped, memorises the level indicated by a display device upon stopping and then the level indicated by a sensor a predetermined time after stopping. The unit then memorises the level indicated by the sensor a predetermined time after the subsequent restarting of the engine. The unit controls the display device in a predetermined manner depending on the relative values of the memorised levels.

Abstract: The device is connectable to a specimen-carrier table of non-eucentric type for the acquisition, by means of a scanning electron microscopic, of images taken in an angularly offset manner for stereoscopic examination of a specimen. A specimen-carrier table comprises a support member which is translatable along a first, vertical axis, as well as along a second and a third horizontal axis of which one is parallel and the other orthogonal to the interocular direction of the observer, and is turnable about its own axis as well as about the second axis.