Abstract: A method of difference sensing. A first step involves producing a reference image using temporal averaging and spatial averaging. A second step involves producing a test image. A third step involves computationally comparing the reference image with the test image to arrive at a resulting difference image. The temporal averaging and spatial averaging effectively isolates in the difference image coherent changes imbeded in a complex and rapidly changing environment from transient changes inherent to the complex and rapidly changing environment.

Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle drivetrain comprising at least an automatic transmission and a drive assembly. The automatic transmission includes at least five shifting elements to transmit torque and/or power. In each forward and reverse gear, three shifting elements are engaged and the remaining two shifting elements are disengaged. Two consecutive gearshifts are carried out through selection of the five shifting elements. During a first gearshift, implemented as a multiple gearshift, a subsequent second gearshift, implemented as either a single or multiple gearshift, is prepared. During the first gearshift, a first shifting element is disengaged, a second shifting element is engaged, a third shifting element is prepared for disengagement in a subsequent second gearshift and a fourth shifting element is prepared for engagement. Further, during the first gearshift and the subsequent second gearshift, a fifth shifting element is retained in at least a substantially engaged state.

Abstract: The installation and use of embedded sacrificial anodes to protect reinforced concrete may be improved. In one example a cavity [2] is formed in the concrete [3] and a puttylike backfill [4] is placed in the cavity and a compact discrete anode comprising a sacrificial metal element [1] is inserted into the backfill and a space is provided into which the backfill may move when subjected to a pressure arising from the formation of voluminous sacrificial metal corrosion products and a high current is passed from the anode to the steel in the concrete to arrest steel corrosion and activate the anode in the backfill. The space may be provided by venting the backfill to space outside the cavity through an opening [5] or by including a void space within the backfill [6] or a void space within the cavity [7].

Abstract: An arrangement of bearings for transmission shafts of a twin-clutch transmission having a first input shaft connected with a first clutch, a hollow second input shaft co-axially supported on the first input shaft and connected with a second clutch and a main shaft, which is parallel to and connected with the input shafts a drive constant via gear stages comprising fixed and loose gear wheels and a shift clutch. The drive constant is connected with an output shaft, which is parallel to the main shaft. The transmission shafts are supported by bearings, which are arranged in bearing planes, one of which is formed by an inner wall of the transmission housing and is axially adjacent the drive constant. This bearing plane includes one bearing supporting the main shaft, one bearing supporting the second input shaft and one bearing supporting the first input shaft within the second input shaft.

Abstract: A method for controlling a motor vehicle drive train including a combustion engine, an electric machine and a transmission, which are coupled by a summation gear system, having two input and one output elements, and a clutch. One input element is coupled to the crankshaft of the combustion engine, the other input element is coupled to the rotor of the electric machine and the output element is coupled to the input shaft of the transmission and the clutch is arranged between two elements of the summation gear system, such that when the clutch is disengaged a speed difference between the combustion engine and the transmission input shaft is synchronized by the electric machine and, if necessary, by a controlled engagement of the clutch. To improve synchronization, at the beginning of the synchronization the clutch is brought to its contact point before the engagement of the bridging clutch.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a nano-particulate electrode for Dye Solar Cells including the steps of providing an electrically conductive substrate, formation of a nanoparticulate layer on the substrate, application of dye to the nanoparticulate layer and an additional step of electrolytic treatment of the nanoparticulate layer in an electrolyte.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying catalyst having a good ignition performance is provided. The exhaust gas purifying catalyst 1 includes a catalyst substrate 3 and a catalyst coating layer 5 which contains a noble metal and a refractory inorganic oxide and is formed on the catalyst substrate. The exhaust gas purifying catalyst is characterized in that the catalyst coating layer 5 includes an upstream portion 11 located upstream and a downstream portion 13 located downstream in a flow direction of an exhaust gas. The upstream portion 11 has a layered structure including an upstream portion inside layer 17 and an upstream portion outside layer 15. The upstream portion inside layer contains a cerium-zirconium composite oxide in which a relative proportion of CeO2 is 50 to 95 wt %, as the refractory inorganic oxide, and the upstream portion outside layer 15 and the downstream portion 13 contain a cerium-zirconium composite oxide in which a relative proportion of ZrO2 is 50 to 95 wt %, as the refractory inorganic oxide.

Abstract: A polarization filter utilizing Brewster's angle. The polarization filter includes a stimulus receiving body having more than one facet. At least two of the more than one facet being arranged at Brewster's angle (relative to the plane of polarization of the incident stimulus) and positioned in different radial orientations (relative to the incident stimulus) which are adapted to provide differential transmission or reflection of polarized electro-magnetic radiation coming from a common source.

Abstract: A method for determining a torque characteristic of a friction clutch located in a drive train of a motor vehicle in the force flow between a drive engine and a transmission and which is closed in its rest position. At least two marker points of a regulating-path-dependent torque characteristic are determined, one of which is determined at a slipping limit of the clutch. To enhance determination of the torque characteristic, a first marker point is determined with the clutch engaged, the transmission in neutral and the engine running, by slowly disengaging the clutch until a reduction in the speed of the transmission input shaft relative to the engine speed is detected. A corresponding pair of values of this marker point with the known braking torque of the input shaft and the set position are used for adapting an existing characteristic.

Abstract: A bypass valve for a cooler connected downstream from a hydraulic aggregate. The bypass valve includes a housing with ports for connection to the hydraulic aggregate and the cooler. A closure element is located in the housing for closing and opening a bypass. A spring pushes the closure element into a closing position, and thermo-sensitive means causes the closure element to open if the temperature of the hydraulic fluid is below a threshold temperature. The thermo-sensitive means are formed by the valve spring, which is made of a memory-metal alloy with a transition point close to the threshold temperature such that below the threshold temperature it no longer exerts a force and allows the closure element to open.

Abstract: A method for operating a drivetrain of a motor vehicle having in the force flow direction and in the following order an internal combustion engine, a clutch, an electric motor, a transmission and an axle gearset, or an internal combustion engine, a clutch, an electric motor, a transmission input shaft, a transmission and an axle gearset. The electric motor is used for pre-lubricating and warming the transmission such that, with the vehicle clutch disengaged, the lubricant pump of the transmission is driven by the electric motor so bearings are supplied with lubricant before the engine is started, and the heat, produced by splashing the lubricant, additionally warms the transmission.

Abstract: A dissolving drain plug includes a body made of a material which is adapted to dissolve within a specific time interval when exposed to a specific liquid solvent.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for fabricating a three dimensional model from a composite model formed or a plurality of successive layers of model material and sacrificial mold material. Each successive layer is constructed by depositing, drop-by-drop, at least one line of sacrificial mold material delineating at least one boundary of the model material within the layer and thereafter depositing the model material onto all delineated regions of the layer by spray deposition. Each successive layer is completed by a planing process which removes the undesired thickness of both the sacrificial and the model materials. Following completion of the composite model, the sacrificial mold material is removable from the composite model, by a process effecting only the sacrificial mold material, to produce the three dimensional model. A device, for depositing the model material at the rate faster than the rate that the mold material is deposited, is also described.

Abstract: A transmission with a planetary gearset including planetary gears supported on a carrier, with a disk clutch or brake including a disk carrier which, via an integral cylindrical portion, is fixed to a shaft that supports the disk carrier, such that the carrier rotates on the cylindrical portion and the carrier is supported by a first axial bearing on the disk carrier and a second axial bearing on a sun gear, which engages the planetary gears, and with an oil supply for lubricating and/or cooling bearings, disk clutch and/or brake components. The first axial bearing includes rollers guided in a cage and first check-disk adjacent the carrier and a second check-disk rollers. The first check-disk flanged disk with a section for rollers of the first axial bearing and with a cylindrical section offset from the rolling section.

Abstract: A method of measuring an interior diameter of a bore with an expandible gauge having relatively movable first and second components and placing an adhesive on at least one of the first and the second components for adhesively bonding the first and the second components to one another. Inserting the expandible gauge into a tool hole in a bore bar and sliding the bore bar into the bore so that the tool hole is located within the bore. Allowing the expandible gauge to expand to a diameter of a bore to be measured and adhesively bond the first and the second components to one another. Removing the expandible gauge and determining the diameter of the bore by measuring a length of the expandible gauge.

Abstract: A transmission shifting device (1) with a selector shaft (2), a disk (7) connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the selector shaft (2), in which a disk-side guide (14) is provided, and a fixed plate (16) arranged opposite the disk (7), in which a plate-side guide (19) is formed. A moving control element (25) is provided for shifting a transmission, which extends into the disk-side and the plate-side guides (14, 19). The disk-side guide (14) extends in the radial direction of the disk (7). A transmission shifting device (1) of this type is particularly compact and takes up only little structural space.

Abstract: A multi-speed automatic transmission of a planetary design for a motor vehicle, the transmission comprises an input shaft (AN) and an output shaft (AB); first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets (RS1, RS2, RS3, RS4); and at least third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth rotatable shafts (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) and first, second, third, fourth and fifth shifting elements (A, B, C, D, E) whose selective engagement defines different gear ratios between the input shaft (AN) and the output shaft (AB) such that eight forward gears and at least one reverse gear can be implemented. When shifting from one forward gear into one of a successive higher and a successive lower forward gear, only a single one of the first, the second, the third, the fourth and the fifth shift elements is disengaged and only a single one of the first, the second, the third, the fourth and the fifth shift elements is engaged.

Abstract: A modular shower pan includes at least four polygon panels adapted to interlock in side by side relation to form a body. Each panel has a planar bottom surface and a top surface that is sloped based upon a pre-selected drain position on the body.

Abstract: A method for operation of a drivetrain including a drive motor and an automatic transmission having at least five shift elements, of which, at least two elements are disengaged in each forward and reverse gear and the other shift elements are engaged. Two successive shifts are accomplished by two overlapped single gear shifts such that: a) during the first shift, a first shift element is engaged or disengaged while a second shift element is disengaged or engaged; b) during the first shift, second and third shift elements are prepared for either engagement or disengagement; and c) during the first and the second shifts at least one fourth shift element is kept engaged or nearly engaged.

Abstract: A four-point link for suspending a vehicle axle (36) on a vehicle frame (35) of a vehicle (11). The four-point link includes four link arms (2, 3, 4 and 5) which are fixed to one another by a central region (6) and which extend away from the central region (6) to form a cross. Two first link arms (2, 3) may be connected, in an articulated manner, to the vehicle frame (35) and two second link arms (4, 5) may be connected, in an articulated manner, to the vehicle axle (36). Each of the link arms (2, 3, 4, 5) has an H-shaped profile (13) which is open transverse or vertically with respect to the cross plane (20).