Abstract: A conical gear drive comprising an input element that interacts with a truncated conical gear via which an output element can be driven. A number of different output elements or variably selectable output elements should be able to be connected to the truncated conical gear drive.

Abstract: An engine timing input system is described for pulse detonation engines that allows for accurate engine timing when rotary or cylindrical valves are used to distribute an air/fuel mixture for combustion. The invention uses a profile disk having a predetermined circumferential edge corresponding to valve position to provide for accurate engine timing. A frequency wheel is used in conjunction with the profile disk to provide a more accurate representation of valve position by partitioning the valve position into multiple pulses during each rotation of the rotary or cylindrical valve. The profile disk and frequency wheel when used with programmable timing circuitry signal fuel valve timing and ignition relative to the rotating valve.

Abstract: A turbine blade having improved cooling has an airfoil with a root end and a tip end and at least one cooling passageway in the airfoil. Each cooling passageway extends from the root end to the tip end and has a circular cross-section. A plurality of turbulation promotion devices are arranged in each cooling passageway. Each of the turbulation promotion devices is arcuate in shape and circumscribes an arc less than 180 degrees.

Abstract: There is provided an optical module capable of improving assembling efficiency and reducing the number of parts to reduce production costs, and an optical connector having the same. The optical module has a holder 3, a lens 12 and a diffraction grating 13 for damping the quantity of light. The holder 3, the lens 12 and the diffraction grating 13 are formed of a resin material so as to be integrated with each other. The diffracting grating 13 is designed to prevent high-order diffracted light beams from being coupled with an optical fiber 8.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of determining the enzymatic activity of blood coagulation factor XIII by using purified fibrin monomer as a substrate of this enzyme. The enzymatic activity is determined by detecting the degree of cross-linking of fibrin monomer formed by the blood coagulation factor XIII and the fibrin monomer free of blood coagulation factor XIII is obtained by washing the preparation with citric acid solution. The present method can be effectively used for the validation of the other enzymatic assay methods for the blood coagulation factor XIII as well as the studies for the characterization of the blood coagulation factor XIII.