Abstract: A rotary internal combustion engine includes an outer housing and an inner housing and an enclosure defined therebetween. At least one of the outer and inner housings is rotatable relative to the other and at least two barriers are disposed in the enclosure and divide the enclosure into a combustion chamber and an exhaust chamber. At least one barrier is rotatable relative to at least one other barrier and at least one barrier comprises a retractable barrier mounted along a pivot axis and is pivotable between an extended position and a retracted position. An intake port, exhaust port, and ignition source are also provided. A method of combusting a fuel comprises rotating a drive member to expand a combustion chamber and substantially isolate the combustion chamber from an exhaust chamber, and introducing and combusting a combustion fluid and a fuel in the combustion chamber as the combustion chamber is expanding.

Abstract: The invention relates to a steady rest for clamping and/or for holding a workpiece (W) on a machine tool, comprising three holding members (3, 4, 5) mounted in a housing (2) and displaceable in a common plane, two of which are designed as two-armed levers pivotably supported in the housing (2), and the central holding member (5) is guided in a straight line. The two outer holding members (3, 4) are kinematically connected respectively to the central holding member (5) via an angle lever (10, 11) so that with an opening movement of the central holding member (5) the outer holding members (3, 4) are pivoted apart from one another. The angle levers (10, 11) are linked rotatably onto the central holding member (5), respectively the one leg of the angle levers (10, 11) being connected to the associated outer holding member (3, 4), and the other leg being connected to the housing (2) by means of gate/pin arrangements.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wood composite panel having a major planar portion, at least one panel portion, and an inwardly extending contoured portion surrounding the panel portion and interconnecting the major planar portion and the panel portion. The contoured portion defines an inter-relationship between a vector angle and a deep draw depth that achieve a satisfactory stretch factor. The present invention also relates to a door having the disclosed wood composite door facings, and methods of forming the facing and door.

Abstract: The invention relates to an energy storage device, particularly for an automobile, that comprises: an assembly (2) of serially-connected energy storage cells; a balancing circuit adapted for balancing the cells during the discharge thereof by enabling the flow of one or more balancing currents in one or more cells of the assembly (2); optionally a diagnosis system (61) for providing at least one piece of information associated with at least one cell in the assembly; wherein the balancing circuit (10; 41) is adapted for controlling the balancing current(s) based at least on external information independent from the energy-storage cell assembly and/or information associated with at least one of the cells and provided by the optional diagnosis system.

Abstract: The present invention is a dosage reminder device that serves as a regular and constant reminder of when a medication was last taken as well as when a medicine should next be taken. The device is attached to any medicine box or bottle using a self-adhesive or strap style backing element and, owing to its relative simplicity and low cost, can be disposed of once the medication has been used or is no longer needed. The dial portion includes an opposed raised annular rim with radially inwardly oriented detents. By being mechanically engaged in multiple locations, the dial indicator resists movement, even with inadvertent patient dropping or scraping of the medication receptacle, thusly clearly and securely showing dosage timing.

Abstract: A man-made, molded article is provided. The article includes a profile including a planar wall, and an adjacent integral molded depression having a contoured wall extending downwardly from the planar wall. The contoured wall includes a bead portion, a cove portion, and a ledge between the bead and cove portions. The articles are stackable, one above another for transport, in a nestable relationship in which multiple contact zones are present between the contoured walls of an adjacently stacked pair of the molded articles. The contact zones include an arcuately extending contact interface zone between the bead exterior and interior surfaces. The depression has a substantially uniform thickness varying by no more than about +1 percent to about ?11 percent in relation to a thickness of the planar wall. Related methods and assemblies are also provided.

Abstract: A lock-up clutch (12) for a hydrokinetic coupling device (10), wherein the clutch includes rotational coupling means between a first element (44, 46) and an adjacent element (14A, 36) consisting of elastic tongues (60) adapted to transmit torque between the elements (44, 46, 14A, 36) and to be deformed elastically in the axial direction to enable movement of the first element (44, 46) relative to the adjacent element (14A, 36) about the articulation member in the form of an annular boss (50).

Abstract: Methods and systems for resistance spot welding using direct current micro pulses are described. One described method comprises comprising forming a weld joint by applying a plurality of direct current micro pulses to at least two pieces of materials through a first electrode and a second electrode.

Abstract: A structural composite laminate and method of making the same are provided. The laminate includes first and second skins or laminas, and a core positioned between the first and second laminas. The core contains thermoplastic and/or substantially inelastic polymeric particles with inter-particle interstices between the polymeric particles. Optionally, the polymeric particles are arranged discontinuously to establish gaps between adjacent particles along at least one dimension of the laminate.

Abstract: A compression-release brake system for operating an exhaust valve of an engine during an engine braking operation. The compression-release brake system comprises a self-contained compression brake control module (CBCM) operatively coupled to the exhaust valve for controlling a lift and a phase angle thereof and a source of a pressurized hydraulic fluid. The CBCM includes a casing defining piston and actuator cavities, a slave piston mounted within the piston cavity, a check valve provided between a supply conduit and a slave piston chamber and a compression brake actuator disposed in the actuator cavity. The compression brake actuator includes an actuator element and a biasing spring. The actuator element selectively engages the check valve when deactivated so as to unlock the slave piston chamber, and disengages from the check valve when activated so as to lock the slave piston chamber. The actuator element is exposed to atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, an avalanche pixel sensor includes a substrate having opposite first and second surfaces, first sensor elements operating in breakdown mode situated on the first surface of the substrate for detecting ionizing radiation from a radiation-emission source, second sensor elements operating in breakdown mode situated on the second surface of the substrate, the second sensor elements each paired with a corresponding first sensor element to experience substantially coincident breakdown in response to ionizing radiation. Logic elements are each electrically interconnected to a respective pair of first and second sensor elements for receiving a signal or signal representing the substantially coincident breakdown of the respective pair to be distinguished from a dark signal even in either of the pair of the first and second sensor elements.

Abstract: A rotor (10) for a rotary electric machine which comprises: two field spiders (12) each of which runs more or less radially with respect to the main axis of the rotor (10) and comprises a series of axial arms (20) in which each arm (20) runs axially inwards from the associated field spider (12), towards the other field spider (12) in such a way that each arm (20) of a field spider (12) lies in the space there is between two consecutive arms (20) of the other field spider (12); and at least one magnetic element (24) the main orientation of which is longitudinal position transversely between two adjacent arms (20) belonging one to each field spider (12) and which comprises at least one magnet (28), characterized in that the magnetic element (24) comprises at least one support shim (30) made of a non-magnetic material and mounted on a transverse end face of the magnet (28), and means of connecting the shim (30) to the magnet (28).

Abstract: A starting device for an internal combustion engine, especially that of a motor vehicle, comprises: a stator, or inductor, comprising an inductor coil (5), said inductor coil comprising at least first (43), second (41) and third (42) windings that are all electrically connected in parallel; a rotor associated with said stator and having a longitudinal axis; a starter element that can be rotated by the rotor; and a contractor designed to supply power, in a prerotation first phase, only to the first winding (43) of the inductor coil and, in a full-speed second phase, following the first phase, to the first, second and third windings (41, 42) of the inductor coil.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a window blind within a multi-pane window. A window blind disposed between first and second panes includes a plurality of slats. Raise/lower and tilt lines are coupled to the slats. A carriage housing is disposed between the panes proximate a side edge thereof. A tilt strip is disposed within the carriage housing and coupled to the tilt lines. An inner carriage disposed within the carriage housing includes an upper portion coupled to the raise/lower lines to actuate raising and lowering the slats, and a lower portion coupled to the tilt strip to actuate tilting the slats. An external carriage is adjacent the exterior surface and aligned with and magnetically coupled to the inner carriage. The external carriage is linearly movable to move the inner carriage. A method of adjusting a window blind within a multi-pane window is also disclosed.

Abstract: Presented are an insulation brick and the method of using an insulation brick to create a thermal lining. A set of corrugations are formed into a sidewall of the brick to increase the thermal insulation. A first end of the insulation brick has a convex portion while the second end of the insulation brick has a convex portion. This allows a first insulation brick to mate with another brick in an end to end configuration.

Abstract: An impact resistant door skin, a door including the same, and a method of manufacturing an impact resistant door skin from a pre-formed door skin are provided. The method includes the steps of providing at least one preformed door skin and applying adhesive to a rear side of the at least one preformed door skin. A fiberglass mesh mat is pressed onto the rear side of the at least one preformed door skin. Then, chopped glass fibers coated with adhesive are sprayed onto the rear side of the at least one preformed door skin using a chopper gun to form a layer of chopped glass fibers on the fiberglass mesh mat. The performed door skin may be a molded door skin having at least one recessed panel formed therein.