Abstract: One embodiment of a portable acrobatic training apparatus (I) with which to support and instruct athletes learning back handsprings having opposing flat vertical ends (16), a resilient arcuate uppermost surface (10), a flat horizontal base (12), and a convex near surface (14). Said trainer apparatus is of approximate elliptical shape, rests on its base until intentionally activated by user, is self-limiting rotationally, and returns to start position automatically following each usage.

Abstract: A method of controlling rotor pitch in a helicopter comprising the steps of: generating at least one blade dynamics signal representing at least one dynamic force acting on at least one of a rotor blade rotating assembly and a helicopter non-rotating assembly, the rotor blade rotating assembly including a plurality of rotor blades and a pitch actuator for each rotor blade; extracting information representing the at least one dynamic force; generating a dynamic force compensation output representing a compensation for at least a portion of the at least one dynamic force; receiving flight control signals directing flight of the helicopter from flight controls of the helicopter; generating from the flight control signals and the dynamic force compensation output a compensated pitch control signal for each blade of the rotor blade rotating assembly, and providing a compensated pitch control signal to compensate for a portion of the at least one dynamic force.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automatic device which is used to envelope small items and which can be used to perform very-high-speed enveloping. The inventive device comprises a frame (11) having the following components mounted thereto, namely: a storage bin (12) containing a pile of stacked envelopes (15) which are disposed such that they can be removed one by one from the base of the bin, and a control drum (13) which is associated with a rotary cam (14). The aforementioned control drum (13) is arranged such as to move the envelopes (15) individually and successively from the storage bin (12) towards an area where a document is inserted therein and such as to open the envelope when the rotary cam (14) has unfolded the flap of same. The documents (30) to be inserted into the envelopes (15) are conveyed by way of cogs (32) which are solidly connected to a continuously-moving transport chain (31).

Abstract: An earth drilling reamer has an elongated body having an outer surface and a plurality of blade mounting supports extending radially outwardly from the outer surface of the body. Each blade mounting support has a primary blade engagement positioned parallel to the outer surface and a leading blade angled from the outer surface to the primary blade engagement. A removable primary blade is detachably secured to the primary blade engagement.

Abstract: A method for shifting gears of an automatic transmission of a vehicle, by way of primarily form-locking shifting elements, while driving with or without utilization of a clutch depending on a decision made by a decision device which, in the presence of certain basic conditions, causes disengagement of a starting gear without disengaging the clutch, and subsequently reads in data about the size and the progression of a quantity correlating closely with the rotational speed of an output shaft of the automatic transmission and, with inclusion of this data, determines the shifting mode for engagement of the target gear.

Abstract: A method of automatically engaging a parking lock or an automatic or automated gearbox of a motor vehicle, which can be engaged depending on a drive position selected by the driver of the motor vehicle, by way of a selector device and depending on other operating parameters. In order to achieve as little restriction of the drivability of the motor vehicle as possible, without neglecting the safety of the driver and surroundings, two different complex embodiments of an Auto_P function for automatically engaging the parking lock are proposed, if the motor vehicle is at least approximately stopped and, at the same time, an ignition circuit acting on the drive motor of the motor vehicle is electrically interrupted.

Abstract: A multi-stage transmission with nine forward gears and one reverse gear comprising four planetary gear sets, eight rotatable shafts and six shift elements. The sun gear of the first set is connected to fourth shaft which is couplable to a housing by the first brake, the carrier of the first set is connected to the third shaft, which is coupled to the housing by the second brake, which is detachably connectable to the drive shaft, via the first clutch, and via a second clutch is detachably connectable to the seventh shaft. The seventh shaft is connected to the ring gear of the second set and with the sun of the fourth set, and the drive shaft is connected to the sun of the second set and to the carrier of the third set. The sixth shaft is connected to the ring gear of the first set, the carrier of the second set and the sun gear of the third set. The ring gear of the fourth set is connected to the fifth shaft which can be coupled to the housing via the third brake.

Abstract: A keyboard (1) with a horizontally arranged card reader. The card reader has a card insertion opening (2) and a card holder section (3). The card holder section (3) defines a plane for placing a card on the upper surface of the keyboard (1). The card holder section (3) is arranged next to the card insertion opening (2), into which the card can be inserted substantially parallel to the plane defined by the card holder section (3).

Abstract: A device for connecting, in a rotationally fixed manner, a shaft to at least one component which is rotationally supported on the shaft, such as a gear wheel of a gear in a transmission. The device includes an actuating element that is rotationally fixed, but axially slides on the shaft, such that when the element is actuated by an actor, the element actively, frictionally communicates with the component to at least approximately equalize a rotational speed difference, between the component and the shaft. The actuating element can be actuated by the actor with a force to frictionally connect the component to the shaft in a rotationally fixed manner. The device further includes a holding device, which retains the actuating element in a shift condition essentially equivalent to the rotationally fixed condition of the component without further actuation of the actor.

Abstract: A spinal prosthesis has a prosthetic vertebral body in the form of a hollow cylinder (1) with perforated wall and attached prosthetic intervertebral discs formed by springs (7,8) molded into silicone-rubber beads (9,10). Anchoring of the cylinder (1) to the damaged vertebra (II) is by means of entrapment of an elongate lug (12) of the cylinder 1 within a slot (16) of a plate (11) retained by screws (12) within a recess (13) of the damaged vertebra (II). The springs (7,8) of the resilient beads (9,10) are attached to the natural vertebrae (I,III) superior and inferior to the damaged vertebra (II) by fixing plates (3,4) which have flanges (20,21) that are held by screws (22) to those vertebrae (I,III). Where adjoining vertebrae are damaged, two or more prosthetic cylinders (1) for anchoring to the individual vertebra are used with interconnecting resilient beads (9;10).

Abstract: The invention concerns an automated motor vehicle shift transmission (1) with an input shaft, an output shaft and several selectively engaged gears, the input shaft (W1) being connected to a drive motor (M) via an engine clutch (K) that can be engaged and disengaged. To avoid an interruption of the traction force during a shift process, a controllable friction clutch is provided as a change-under-load clutch (K5) to connect the input shaft (W1) directly to the output shaft (W3, W4) when necessary. The invention also concerns a method for controlling the gearshifts of an automated motor vehicle shift transmission comprising an input shaft, an output shaft and several selectively engaged gears, and in which the input shaft is connected to a drive motor via an engine clutch that can be engaged or disengaged, such that in a shift process between a loaded gear that is engaged and a target gear to be engaged, the engine clutch remains closed during the gear change.

Abstract: A method of carrying out a shift operation with traction force interruption during hybrid operation when the electric machine has failed or the energy accumulator is full in a parallel hybrid vehicle having an automated transmission. During an upshift, the power inverter, connected to the electric machine, is actuated with an active short-circuit whereby a torque is generated, at the electric machine, which is used for synchronizing the transmission input.

Abstract: The invention concerns a marine vessel propulsion system that can be set into an opening of a boat's hull and which comprises a propulsion and steering unit (9) that can be rotated or swivelled about a vertical axis (z) and which is fixed to the hull by a securing mechanism (12) having a predetermined fracture point or level. It is proposed that a protective plate (13) is arranged on the boat's hull in the aft direction (opposite to the direction of travel F) and behind the propulsion and steering unit (9).

Abstract: A device (10) for continuously generating cold and heat by a magnetic effect. The device includes a magnetic field generator (13), which is arranged in at least one crown segment and defines an annular space crossed by a circular coaxial part (11) provided with radial transverse cavities (31) and contains at least one type of magneto-calorific material. The inventive device also includes a circulating pump (27) for axially supplying a heat carrier to the cavities (31). A first collector (33) picks up the heat carrier, which passes through the radial cavities (31) in the area containing the magnetic field generator (13), and a second collector (34) picks up the heat carrier which passes through the radial cavities (31) in an area located outside of the magnetic field generator (13).

Abstract: A clutch system for producing and interrupting a force flow between the engine and transmission of a motor vehicle, with a clutch, which is disengaged unless actuated, and one or more valves, which regulate the flow of pressure medium and which are electrically actuated by a control and regulation unit. If there is electrical failure while driving and when a gear is engaged or when the vehicle is stationary, the engine is running and a transmission gear is engaged, unintended clutch engagement is prevented. The valves are designed such that if there is a failure of the voltage supply and consequently also of the actuation of the valves by the electronic control and regulation system, the operating condition of the clutch existing at the time of failure, namely the disengaged or engaged operating condition, remains as it is.

Abstract: A method of controlling a hybrid drive train of a vehicle which comprises, in series, an internal combustion engine, a clutch, an electric motor and a transmission with an output connected to the drive axle. During traction operation, the vehicle changes from an electric driving mode into a combination driving mode or a combustion engine driving mode, in that the clutch is engaged and the electric torque is temporarily increased. The method includes regulating engagement of the clutch at least until reaching a starting rotational speed of the combustion engine such that the acceleration of the combustion engine occurs according to a predetermined progression of rotational speed and that the torque of the combustion engine is increased by the same amount as the transferable torque of the clutch is increased by the engagement process.

Abstract: A method and device for provisionally determining the mass of a vehicle when it is initialized. After initialization of the vehicle, the method determines a vehicle mass value by a static mass determination method and then checks whether this value is within a predetermined tolerance band around the dynamically last-determined vehicle mass value, which has been stored for that purpose. If this is so, and there has in the meantime been no significant change of the vehicle's mass, the previously stored dynamic vehicle mass value is probably more accurate and is used in the determination. Otherwise it can be assumed that the vehicle mass value has changed substantially, and the statically determined vehicle mass value is therefore used until a device for the dynamic determination of a vehicle mass can supply a more accurate vehicle mass value after a short time.

Abstract: A method for controlling the oil supply device of an automatic planetary transmission, having a main oil pump and an auxiliary oil pump. The transmission is part of a parallel hybrid vehicle powertrain. To supply oil to the transmission as needed, the current oil requirement of the transmission is determined depending on at least one current operating parameter. The auxiliary pump delivery rate is set by actuating the electric motor, in the combustion and combined driving mode below a minimum main oil pump input speed and in the electric driving mode to at least the total oil requirement, and at least in the combined driving mode above the minimum main oil pump input speed is set to at least the residual oil requirement exceeding the delivery rate of the main oil pump.

Abstract: A method for the operation of a drivetrain comprising an automatic transmission, a motor and at least five shift elements in which two shift elements are engaged and three shift elements are disengaged. When carrying out an upshift or downshift, a first shift element is either disengaged or engaged, and a second shift element is engaged or disengaged. While the first upshift or downshift is being carried out, a second shift element is prepared for disengaging or engaging and a third shift element is prepared for engaging or disengaging. Actuation of the second shift element occurs by virtue of a minimum selection of a first alternative or a maximum selection a second alternative. While the first upshift or downshift is being carried out and while the second upshift or downshift is being carried out, at least one fourth shift element is kept engaged or nearly engaged.