Abstract: A detachable passenger seat is selectively mountable onto a base frame of a snowmobile having a straddle-type rider seat. The passenger seat includes a cushioned seat portion supported by a seat frame. A forward portion of the passenger seat includes a bottom surface contoured to fit over and be supported by at least a portion of a rearward end of the rider seat when the passenger seat is attached to the snowmobile. Upwardly extending flexible grab handles are mounted to the lateral sides of the seat frame. Upper portions of the flexible grab handles extend higher than at least a portion of an upper surface of a cushioned seat portion of the passenger seat. The flexible grab handles are designed to be rigid enough to provide support to a passenger and flexible enough to allow a passenger to easily dismount the snowmobile.

Abstract: A torsion damping device is mounted between two coaxial rotating members for transmitting a rotary toque from one member to the other with damping of vibrations and torque oscillations the damping device comprising, two rings coaxial with the rotating members, rotational coupling means between the two rotating members and the rings, circumferentially acting resilient members mounted between the rings in housing which are formed in the rings and which include a device for abutment of the ends of the resilient members, the two rings are rotatable with respect to each other and with respect to the two rotating members with a limited angular displacement, and are urged in opposite directions of rotation by the resilient members and toward abutment on the device for coupling them to the respective ones of the rotating members.

Abstract: The present invention provides a circuit for detecting if a load being supplied with a high frequency AC power source is asymmetrical. The input voltage and the DC blocking voltage are connected to a differential amplifier circuit, and any difference in voltage is signaled. The load voltage and the DC blocking voltage are each reduced, for example to 10% and 20% respectively, while keeping them proportional to their respective full values.

Abstract: A snowmobile includes a chassis having a generally reduced length and a snow flap pivotally attached to the rear portion of the chassis, above the track system. The track system extends rearwardly beyond the chassis, and the snow flap shields the track system above and behind from spraying snow. The snow flap is linked to the track system so that as the track system moves through a range of travel relative to the chassis, the snow flap pivots relative to the chassis with the track system. This configuration prevents damaging contact between the tread and the undersurface of the snow flap and/or the chassis. The reduced length of the chassis decreases the weight of the snowmobile and the polar moment of inertia, thereby improving turning performance. A bumper extends from the snow flap and can be used to lift the rear of the snowmobile more easily.

Abstract: A snowmobile includes a chassis having a generally reduced length and a snow flap pivotally attached to the rear portion of the chassis, above the track system. The track system extends rearwardly beyond the chassis, and the snow flap shields the track system above and behind from spraying snow. The snow flap is linked to the track system so that as the track system moves through a range of travel relative to the chassis, the snow flap pivots relative to the chassis with the track system. This configuration prevents damaging contact between the tread and the undersurface of the snow flap and/or the chassis. The reduced length of the chassis decreases the weight of the snowmobile and the polar moment of inertia, thereby improving turning performance. A bumper extends from the snow flap and can be used to lift the rear of the snowmobile more easily.

Abstract: The invention relates to a torsional damping device which is mounted between two rotating parts in order to transmit a rotating torque in such a way that the vibrations and oscillations of the torque are dampened. Said device comprises two washers (16, 18) which are coaxial to the rotating parts, means (12, 14, 20) for rotationally connecting the washers to the two rotating parts with a predetermined circumferential play and elastic mechanisms (26) with a circumferential action which are mounted between the washers, in the receptacles (24) of said washers, these elastic mechanisms acting on the washers so that they rotate in opposite directions and are stopped on the means connecting them to the rotating parts. The invention is particularly suitable for friction clutches for motor vehicles.

Abstract: A snowmobile includes a chassis having a generally reduced length and a snow flap pivotally attached to the rear portion of the chassis, above the track system. The track system extends rearwardly beyond the chassis, and the snow flap shields the track system above and behind from spraying snow. The snow flap is linked to the track system so that as the track system moves through a range of travel relative to the chassis, the snow flap pivots relative to the chassis with the track system. This configuration prevents damaging contact between the tread and the undersurface of the snow flap and/or the chassis. The reduced length of the chassis decreases the weight of the snowmobile and the polar moment of inertia, thereby improving turning performance. A bumper extends from the snow flap and can be used to lift the rear of the snowmobile more easily.

Abstract: A fuel tank for a motored vehicle featuring a main body portion and an oblong neck portion coupled to the main body portion. The oblong neck portion extends diagonally upward away from the main body portion. The main body portion is configured and positioned to provide a wave interference portion therein.

Abstract: A nonwoven fabric formed from filaments made from a polymer derived from L- and D-lactic acid. The nonwoven fabric is biodegradable and especially suitable for use in disposable hygiene products.

Abstract: A neuroagent approach is used in an automated and unified data mining system to provide an explicitly predictive knowledge model. The neuroagent is a neural multi-agent approach based on macro-connectionism and comprises a double integration at the association and symbolic level as well as the knowledge model level. This data mining system permits discovery, evaluation and prediction of the correlative factors of data, i.e., the conjunctions, as corresponding to neuroexpressions (a semantic connection of neuroagents) connected to an output neuroagent which corresponds to the data output, the connection weights yielding the relative significance of these factors to the given output.

Abstract: An electronic ballast is provided for converting an AC voltage and current, supplied by a power source such as a power line, to an alternating square-wave voltage and current having the same frequency, for supply to a discharge lamp. The ballast includes at least one capacitor, bridge switches and high-frequency duty-cycle switches. The bridge switches and the high-frequency duty-cycle switches cooperate to successively electrically connect the capacitor in parallel with the power source, electrically connect the capacitor in series with the power source and the discharge lamp, and to regulate the current provided to and from the capacitor to drive the discharge lamp with a desired square-wave voltage and current at the line frequency.

Abstract: An electronic ballast for a discharge lamp includes a capacitive storage device which is serially connected with an AC power source and the lamp. A first combination of switches, arranged in a bridge configuration, alternately reverse the polarity in which the capacitive storage device is connected. A second combination of switches periodically bypasses the capacitive storage device and momentarily places the AC power source directly in series with the lamp.

Abstract: A microwave refining and melting furnace for the treatment of dissolved or solid products includes a first waveguide traversed by a microwave beam generated by a generator coupled to a first end of the first waveguide. The first waveguide is provided with a material supply orifice located at an upper part thereof close to a first end of the first waveguide. The first waveguide has at a lower part thereof, close to a second end, an overflow lock of variable height making it possible to define a retention volume for the materials, which have been progressively melted by a continuous flow along the lower wall of the first waveguide, from the reception point thereof in the first guide. A second waveguide is connected to the first waveguide for refining the materials.