Abstract: Passive emergency cooling in response to a loss of coolant accident (LOCA) in a PWR, having an integral reactor pressure vessel incorporating the steam generators and housed in a small high pressure containment vessel, is provided by circulating cooling water through the steam generators and heat exchangers in an external tank to cool the reactor vessel at a rate sufficient to lower the pressure in the reactor vessel below that in containment to reverse mass flow out of the reactor vessel and keep the reactor core covered without the addition of makeup water. Suppression tanks inside the small high pressure containment structure limit peak blowdown pressure in containment and provide flood-up water and gravity fed makeup water to cool the core. Diverse cooling is provided by natural circulation of air, and if needed, water, over the spherical containment structure.

Abstract: An inflatable curtain for protecting the occupants of a vehicle during a collision is provided. The inflatable curtain may include an inflatable portion. The inflatable portion may include a plurality of inflation chambers. The inflatable curtain may also include a non-inflatable portion. The non-inflatable portion may include one or more expandable sections disposed between adjacent inflation chambers. Deployment of the inflatable curtain typically causes the inflation chambers to contract in a horizontal direction. Deployment of the inflatable curtain also causes each of the expandable sections to expand horizontally, compensating for the contraction that occurs in the inflation chambers.

Abstract: A modular headliner assembly (10) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) adapted to inflate away from a roof (18) of a vehicle (12) into a position between a side structure (16) of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. The modular headliner assembly (10) also includes a headliner (36) for covering an interior portion (38) of the roof (18) and at least one support device (40) for supporting the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) and the headliner in the vehicle (12). The support device (40) includes a bracket (42) having a portion (44) connectable to the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14), fastener (202) for connecting the headliner (36) to the bracket, and a fastener (222) for connecting the bracket to the vehicle (12).

Abstract: An arm rest and support for aiming. The arm rest and support consists of an upper member hingedly attached to a lower member. A pair of straps attached to the lower member wrap around the torso of the user for support. A third strap attached to the upper member is adapted to wrap around the aiming arm of the user. When not in use, the arm rest and support may be folded, allowing the user to move about. When the support is needed, the user simply raises his or her arm, causing the upper member to pivot and lock at an approximate right angle in relation to the lower member, providing the user with support for aiming resulting in greater accuracy and reduced fatigue.

Abstract: A method and vehicle occupant restraint system for a motor vehicle, in which the webbing movement of a seat belt wound on a belt reel 1 caused by the body of the belted-in vehicle occupant is scanned and corresponding measurement data are fed to an evaluating device 3, wherein measurement data relating to the rotating movement of a rotor 2, in particular the electric motor rotor, which serves in tightening the seat belt webbing, may additionally be fed to this evaluating device 3.

Abstract: A method for storing nuclear fuel in a container (10) including a concrete body and a fuel receiver embedded in the concrete body, comprises the steps of: providing formwork (62) for the concrete body and supporting the fuel receiver within the formwork; placing the formwork in an immersed position in a pool (54) containing a body of water; placing concrete in the immersed formwork (62); and removing the formwork with the concrete body cast therein from the pool (52).

Abstract: A method of decoying an incoming missile from a target. The method comprises deploying an array of barrels each containing multiple projectiles, determining a position and orientation for a decoy image of the target in relation to the incoming missile, and firing multiple projectiles substantially simultaneously from respective barrels of the array to create the image. Each projectile contains image forming matter.

Abstract: A gas generator S applicable to a side airbag or a passenger-side airbag. The gas generator S comprises an elongated cylindrical housing 1. The housing 1 has, in its interior, a first combustion chamber 3, a third combustion chamber 5 formed in a filtering member 2 and a second combustion chamber 4 which are formed in this order along an axial direction of the housing 1. The combustion chambers 3-5 are each packed with gas generating agents 6 that generate high temperature gas by burning, and ignition means 7 for igniting only the gas generating agents packed in the first combustion chamber 3 is disposed in a holder 9 fitted in the housing 1.

Abstract: An elastomeric disk for use in an elastomeric ejection system in which a thickened curvature protrudes from both sides of a central plane of the disk. Integral to each curvature is an annulet which dovetails from the curvatures to a periphery of the disk. The thickness of the annulet in regard to the central plane is greater on the fluid pressure side of the disk thereby shifting material strain to the center of the disk during expanding deformation. The annulet shape is attachable to the elastomeric ejection system by a clamp of the system.

Abstract: An integrated or built-in key-operated gun lock having a rotatable swivel arm. The lock is preferably positioned at the fore-end of the pump slide handle so that, when deployed in the locked position, the swivel arm interferes with the forward motion of the slide handle thereby preventing the shotgun trigger from being reset for firing the weapon. This also prevents the shotgun from being locked with an ammunition round chambered. The swivel arm is preferably located between the slide arm and the pump magazine. A stationary ring may be installed on the magazine tube or, depending upon the existing configuration of the shotgun, an existing ring such as the ring commonly used to brace the magazine tube to the gun barrel, may be employed to cooperate with the swivel arm.

Abstract: A device (10) for storage of hazardous material, especially heat-producing hazardous material, such as radioactive spent nuclear reactor fuel, comprises a substantially cylindrical reinforced concrete body (12) and has an axially elongate storage space (18) for the hazardous material. A prestressed reinforcement (17) having reinforcing members (28, 29) extending helically about the storage space (18) is provided in the concrete body (12) adjacent to the outer side thereof. Preferably, the reinforcing members (28, 29) are divided into two groups, one inside the other, the hand of the reinforcing members (28) of one of the groups being opposite to the hand of the reinforcing members (29) of the other group. Also preferably, the ends of the concrete body are provided with end covers (15, 16) in which the reinforcing members (28, 29) are anchored.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for removing thermal energy from a nuclear reactor, which are fault tolerant. The apparatus includes at least one heat pipe configured to absorb thermal energy produced by the nuclear reactor. In addition, the apparatus includes a first compartment thermally coupled to the at least one heat pipe. The first compartment is configured to contain a first gas. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a second compartment thermally coupled to the at least one heat pipe. The second compartment is configured to contain a second gas and configured to isolate the second gas from the first gas.

Abstract: A neutron spectrometer is provided by a series of substrates covered by a solid-state detector stacked on an absorbing layer. As many as 12 substrates that convert neutrons to protons are covered by a layer of absorbing material, acting as a proton absorber, with the detector placed within the layer to count protons passing through the absorbing layer. By using 12 detectors the range of neutron energies are covered. The flat embodiment of the neutron spectrometer is a chamber, a group of detectors each having an absorber layer, with each detector separated by gaps and arranged in an egg-crate-like structure within the chamber. Each absorber layer is constructed with a different thickness according to the minimum and maximum energies of neutrons in the spectrum.

Abstract: A safety arrangement for a motor vehicle includes an airbag disposed in an area of a roof frame of a vehicle body which includes an “A” pillar, a “B” pillar, and a “C/D” pillar. A connecting tube is coupled to the airbag and extends in the area of the roof frame from the “A” pillar to the “C/D” pillar to conduct pressure gas from a pressure gas source to the airbag. The connecting tube is so configured as to provide stiffening for increasing a lateral rigidity of the roof frame and is firmly secured at least to the “A” pillar and the “C/D” pillar.

Abstract: The method of protectively coating metallic uranium which comprises dipping the metallic uranium in a molten alloy comprising about 20-75% of copper and about 80-25% of tin, dipping the coated uranium promptly into molten tin, withdrawing it from the molten tin and removing excess molten metal, thereupon dipping it into a molten metal bath comprising aluminum until it is coated with this metal, then promptly withdrawing it from the bath.

Abstract: A magazine loader includes a loading holder and an ammo pusher. The loading holder has a supplying opening end, an opposed discharging opening end, a feeding channel extended from the supplying opening end to the discharging opening end for slidably receiving a plurality of ammos, and a guiding arrangement provided within the feeding channel, wherein the discharging opening end of the loading holder is capable of detachably mounting on an opening of a magazine such that the feeding channel of the loading holder is adapted for aligning with the opening of the magazine. The ammo pusher, having a pusher head, is slidably engaged with the guiding arrangement to substantially guide the pusher head sliding from the supplying opening end of the loading holder to the discharging opening end thereof for pushing the ammos within the feeding channel of the loading holder into the magazine.

Abstract: A fuel assembly for a pressurized-water reactor includes fuel rods held in cells of spacers, control rod guide tubes, and a headpiece and a foot piece, by which it is fixed to upper and lower core grids, respectively. A spacer having a first part, which lies on a radially outer side with respect to a longitudinal center axis of the fuel assembly, and a second part, which lies on a radially inner side and is completely surrounded by the first part are included to reduce the size of gaps between fuel assemblies. The second part is formed of Zircaloy. The first part is made of a metallic material, and when compared to the Zircaloy of the second part, has a lower growth in the radial direction, caused by neutron radiation and a higher coefficient of thermal expansion.

Abstract: An airbag system for a motor vehicle has an airbag that is deployed upon inflation with a gas from a folded state into the vehicle interior. An inflation device supplies gas for inflating the airbag. A sensing device senses deployment of the airbag to the effect that the temporal and spatial sequence involved in opening the folds of the airbag is detected. A control device controls the inflation process as a function of deployment sensing.

Abstract: A commercial airliner (10) carries a sensor that detects a characteristic (21) associated with a man portable missile (20). Raw sensor data is transmitted via a wireless data-link (41) to ground stations (31-33) that process the airliner transmission and determine both the presence of the missile and a precise aircraft position. Countermeasures are fired to detonate within a close proximity of airliner in order to divert the detected missile.

Abstract: A tie rod having a cruciform cross section is provided with steps for fixing sheaths at tips of cruciform arms of the tie rod; the tips of each of sheaths are fitted onto the steps of the tie rod, each of the sheaths having a U-shaped cross section; and each of the sheaths is fixed to the tie rod by performing a laser welding using a YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) laser beam or a CO2 laser beam with the sheath being fitted onto the tie rod to achieve a continuous weld of at least a part of the tie rod in a longitudinal direction thereof. An axial center position of the beam is shifted from an end face position of the step of the tie rod at least toward an axis center of the tie rod.