Abstract: A steering wheel has a rim with an armature substantially encapsulated by foam. The foam includes a major foam member and a separate minor foam member. The major foam member has a cross-sectional profile effective to cover a major cross-sectional extent of the armature and define a gap in the foam member adjacent the armature. The gap has a maximum cross-sectional width which is equal to or less than the cross-sectional width of the armature, and is substantially filled by said minor foam member.

Abstract: A steering wheel has a rim having an armature encapsulated by a cover of resilient material. The cover has a fixing groove or recess formed therein so as to extend around the rim generally circumferentially with respect to the steering wheel. An outer skin is formed from flexible material and is provided over and around the cover such that two opposed edges of the outer skin are both positioned within the fixing groove or recess and fixed therein. The outer skin includes at least one seam terminating in a seam-end located along one of the opposed edges of the outer skin such that each edge of the outer skin positioned within the fixing groove or recess has at least one seam-end, and wherein each seam-end formed along one of the edges is circumferentially offset around the rim from each seam-end formed along the other edge.

Abstract: A steering wheel has a gripping formation including an armature substantially encapsulated by a cover of foamed material and a flexible outer skin provided over and around the cover. The flexible skin may be formed of leather or artificial leather. The steering wheel may include a plastic insert engaged within a fixing groove or recess formed in the cover. At least one edge of the outer skin may be positioned within the fixing groove or recess and fixed to the insert by ultrasonic welding, for example. In a preferred arrangement, two opposed edges of the outer skin may be both received within the fixing groove or recess and fixed to the insert therein by ultrasonic welding.

Abstract: A styptic device (10) for substantially hemostatically sealing a percutaneous puncture (12) in a blood vessel (14) of a patient (11), the styptic device (10) comprising: a base (16); a main compression element (18) extending from the base (16), the main compression element (18) defining a main compression surface (24) compressible against the patient (11); and an auxiliary compression element (20) removably attachable to the base (16), the auxiliary compression element (20) defining an auxiliary compression surface (26) compressible against the patient (11).

Abstract: Method for analyzing berries, characterized in that: berries are arranged on an analysis plate, an image of the berries is recorded, the image consisting of pixels of at least one component of an elementary color, the contours of the berries are identified, and geometric and/or colorimetric characteristics of the berries are determined. The number of berries can then be determined, or a volume, a surface area, a surface area to volume ratio, and a characteristic concentration for each berry can be determined, in addition to an average, for all of the pixels inside the contour of a defined berry, of the values of a component of an elementary color of a component of interest. A device for implementing the method is also disclosed. The invention especially relates to viticulture and to the analysis of the maturity of the grape.

Abstract: A stent insertable in a body vessel, the body vessel defining a vessel wall. The stent includes a plurality of struts, the struts defining a substantially elongated stent passageway, the struts being configured, sized and operatively coupled to each other in a manner such that the stent is deformable between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the stent passageway has a first radial dimension and a first longitudinal dimension, and in the second configuration, the stent has a second radial dimension and a second longitudinal dimension, the second radial dimension being at least as large as the first radial dimension and the second longitudinal dimension being larger than the first longitudinal dimension. The stent is able to expand substantially longitudinally with the body vessel as the body vessel grows without reducing in diameter so as to reduce risks of damaging the vessel wall as the body vessel grows.

Abstract: A steering wheel has a rim with an armature substantially encapsulated by foam. The foam includes a major foam member and a separate minor foam member. The major foam member has a cross-sectional profile effective to cover a major cross-sectional extent of the armature and define a gap in the foam member adjacent the armature. The gap has a maximum cross-sectional width which is equal to or less than the cross-sectional width of the armature, and is substantially filled by said minor foam member.

Abstract: A styptic device (10) for substantially hemostatically sealing a percutaneous puncture (12) in a blood vessel (14) of a patient (11), the styptic device (10) comprising: a base (16); a main compression element (18) extending from the base (16), the main compression element (18) defining a main compression surface (24) compressible against the patient (11); and an auxiliary compression element (20) removably attachable to the base (16), the auxiliary compression element (20) defining an auxiliary compression surface (26) compressible against the patient (11).

Abstract: A mounting arrangement for mounting an air-bag module to a hub of a steering wheel. The hub being provided with apertures and cutaway sections and a spring. The spring is moveable from a release position in which parts of the spring do not extend across the apertures or the cutaway sections to a locking position in which parts of the spring extend across the apertures and the cutaway sections. The spring is initially deformed and is held in the release position against blocking elements. The air-bag module is provided with hooks which are positioned on the air-bag module to correspond to the positions of the apertures and the cutaway sections on the hub. The air-bag module is provided with an actuation member which, when the hooks are inserted into the apertures, engages part of the spring to urge the spring out of engagement with the blocking elements.

Abstract: Method for analyzing berries, characterised in that: berries are arranged on an analysis plate, an image of the berries is recorded, the image consisting of pixels of at least one component of an elementary colour, the contours of the berries are identified, and geometric and/or colorimetric characteristics of the berries are determined. The number of berries can then be determined, or a volume, a surface area, a surface area to volume ratio, and a characteristic concentration for each berry can be determined, in addition to an average, for all of the pixels inside the contour of a defined berry, of the values of a component of an elementary colour of a component of interest. A device for implementing the method is also disclosed. The invention especially relates to viticulture and to the analysis of the maturity of the grape.

Abstract: The invention relates to refrigeration using a thermochemical system based on the coupling of two reversible physico-chemical phenomena between a gas and a solid or liquid sorbent, one at low temperature (the LT phenomenon) and the other at a higher temperature (the HT phenomenon). The LT phenomenon is a liquid/gas phase change of the fluid G or an absorption of the fluid G by a liquid sorbent. The HT phenomenon is a reversible sorption of the fluid G by a liquid or solid sorbent. The endothermic phase of the LT phenomenon takes place in a reactor thermally isolated from the ambient environment. The exothermic phase of the LT phenomenon takes place in a condenser in communication with the reactor in which the HT phenomenon takes place, the condensed fluid G then being transferred to the reactor in which the endothermic phase of the LT phenomenon takes place.

Abstract: A mounting arrangement for mounting an air-bag module to a hub of a steering wheel. The hub being provided with apertures and cutaway sections and a spring. The spring is moveable from a release position in which parts of the spring do not extend across the apertures or the cutaway sections to a locking position in which parts of the spring extend across the apertures and the cutaway sections. The spring is initially deformed and is held in the release position against blocking elements. The air-bag module is provided with hooks which are positioned on the air-bag module to correspond to the positions of the apertures and the cutaway sections on the hub. The air-bag module is provided with an actuation member which, when the hooks are inserted into the apertures, engages part of the spring to urge the spring out of engagement with the blocking elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to refrigeration at TU by a reversible sorption system. The installation comprises a reactor (1) in which a reversible sorption between a gas G and a sorbent S takes place, a device (2) in which a reversible phenomenon involving the gas G takes place, means for bringing (2) into communication with (1), and means for isolating them, the equilibrium curve for the reversible phenomenon in (2) lying within a lower temperature range than that of the equilibrium curve for the reversible sorption in (1) in the Clausius-Clapeyron plot. The device (2) contains, apart from the gas G, a liquid/solid phase change material M having a solidification temperature TS below the frigeration working temperature TU. Use for freezing various products or for producing chilled water or ice.

Abstract: The invention relates to refrigeration using a thermochemical system based on the coupling of two reversible physico-chemical phenomena between a gas and a solid or liquid sorbent, one at low temperature (the LT phenomenon) and the other at a higher temperature (the HT phenomenon). The LT phenomenon is a liquid/gas phase change of the fluid G or an absorption of the fluid G by a liquid sorbent. The HT phenomenon is a reversible sorption of the fluid G by a liquid or solid sorbent. The endothermic phase of the LT phenomenon takes place in a reactor thermally isolated from the ambient environment. The exothermic phase of the LT phenomenon takes place in a condenser in communication with the reactor in which the HT phenomenon takes place, the condensed fluid G then being transferred to the reactor in which the endothermic phase of the LT phenomenon takes place.

Abstract: A steering wheel arrangement is disclosed which incorporates a fixed element (20). The fixed element carries a first annular bearing (33) which supports a steering wheel for rotation relative to the fixed element (20). The fixed element also carries a second bearing (38) which rotatably supports a component to be connected to part of the steering column of a motor vehicle. Each of the bearings are retained, to the fixed element (20), by means of a first resilient retaining element (40), and the first bearing (33) is also retained to the steering wheel by a second resilient retaining element (41).

Abstract: The invention relates to refrigeration at TU by a reversible sorption system. The installation comprises a reactor (1) in which a reversible sorption between a gas G and a sorbent S takes place, a device (2) in which a reversible phenomenon involving the gas G takes place, means for bringing (2) into communication with (1), and means for isolating them, the equilibrium curve for the reversible phenomenon in (2) lying within a lower temperature range than that of the equilibrium curve for the reversible sorption in (1) in the Clausius-Clapeyron plot. The device (2) contains, apart from the gas G, a liquid/solid phase change material M having a solidification temperature TS below the frigeration working temperature TU. Use for freezing various products or for producing chilled water or ice.

Abstract: Process for depositing by electrografting a strong adherent polymer coating onto an electrically conductive surface comprising the step of electrochemical grafting of an active monomer for forming a primer coating P onto the surface and having as general formula: X0 (meth)acrylate wherein X is either part of a preformed polymer or is an intermediate agent for polyaddition reaction or is an anchoring group for attachment of a molecule having at least one complementary reactive group. Such process allows formation of new primer by one-step electro-grafting of a macromonomer. Such process also allows further modification of an initial electrografted polymer to increase the coating thickness by the grafting-from technique. Such process also allows to graft onto the primer coating compounds like functional polymer, peptide, protein, oligonucleotide, dyes, drugs, anti-bacterian compounds.

Abstract: To determine a coefficient of diffusion of a radioisotope in a radioisotope-containing implant structure and to calculate a quantity of radioisotope to be introduced in an implant structure in view of administering to a vascular region of a patient's body a dose of radioactivity at a given dose rate, a relation is calculated between a coefficient of diffusion of the radioisotope in the implant structure and a coefficient of diffusion of the radioisotope in the vascular region of the patient's body for at least one given period of time during which the radioisotope has to be released. The diffusion coefficient of the vascular region is determined. The method also determines, from the diffusion coefficient of the vascular region and in connection with the above relation, the diffusion coefficient of the implant structure required to release the radioisotope within the given period of time.

Abstract: A filler material for a road paving composition is described, the material having a low sensitivety to water and having fine gravel, pebbles and an organic binder selected from the group consisting of ashphalt, bitumen and tar, said filler material comprising at least one natural hydrated silicate selected from the group consisting of kaolinite, antigorite, sepiolite and palygorskite, said hydrated silicate having been subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature between 200.degree.C and 800.degree.C to irreversibly remove water of hydration to enhance porosity and ability to absorb bitumen, said filler material having a fineness at which at least 80% by weight will pass through a 74 micron screen, a porosity of at least 50% by volume and a swelling factor of not more than 3% in water after said organic binder has been absorbed therein.