Abstract: A rolling regeneration diesel particulate filter and filtering process that utilizes NO produced in the process to generate additional amounts of NO2 than the NO2 produced by the diesel engine. The process includes the step of flowing diesel engine combustion exhaust through a filter system including a first section and a second section. The first section is positioned upstream of the second section with respect to the direction of the flow of the diesel engine exhaust through the filter. The first section includes a foam constructed and arranged to trap carbon-based particulates in the exhaust. A first catalyst is carried by the foam to promote the conversion of NO in the exhaust from the diesel engine to NO2. The first catalyst also promotes the reaction of NO2 with at least a portion of the carbon-based particulates trapped by the foam to form CO and NO.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for high volume production of molded dimensionally accurate polymer composite articles comprising three-dimensional carbon fiber reinforcement in high volume. Carbon fiber cloth infiltrated with a liquid thermosetting polymer precursor is shaped by application of pressure to urge the cloth against the surface of a mold and then heated while under pressure to cure the polymer precursor into a solid polymeric matrix for the carbon fiber article. Mold tooling is formed of suitable iron-nickel alloys and provided with a hard electroless nickel coating on the mold cavity surface. The iron and nickel alloy provides thermal expansion properties generally matched to those of the articles for the molding of dimensionally accurate parts.

Abstract: A spark plug, center electrode and method of construction is provided. The spark plug has a generally annular ceramic insulator and a conductive shell surrounding at least a portion of the ceramic insulator. A ground electrode is operatively attached to the shell, with the ground electrode having a ground electrode sparking surface. A center electrode has an elongate body with a center electrode sparking surface. The center electrode sparking surface and the ground electrode sparking surface provide a spark gap. The center electrode body is constructed of a composite material including at least one ceramic material.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes product comprising an elastomeric epoxy dry adhesive with a pull-off strength of 1-200 N/cm2 from a substrate and reversibly detached with a peel-off force less than 1 N/cm.

Abstract: A dental prosthesis or template (10) simulates the front surfaces of a patient's teeth and is positioned to overlay over a patient's natural teeth (40) to provide an indication of what a dental porcelain overlay may look like once applied to the patient's teeth. A matching temporary veneer overlay (110) with simulated matching teeth sized and shaped to the template is constructed to be installed over the patient's prepared teeth.

Abstract: Rare earth element(s) doped alumina nanowires are formed by a thermal evaporation method in which vapor from aluminum powder and vapor from a rare earth element compound (such as an halide) are reacted in an oxygen-containing inert gas stream to form alumina which deposits as alumina nanowires and as a rare earth element and oxygen-containing material that deposits with and/or on the alumina nanowires. Where the RE-doped alumina nanowires are to be used as catalyst supports, a catalyst material, such as platinum, may be deposited as small particles on the nanowires.

Abstract: A product includes a fuel cell stack, and an enclosure apparatus sealingly enclosing the fuel cell stack to define a hydrogen chamber between the fuel cell stack and the enclosure apparatus. An operation of the product may include maintaining a positive pressure of hydrogen in the hydrogen chamber.

Abstract: An animal behavioral control apparatus includes a cartridge, a housing, a head, and a horn. The cartridge contains pressurized gas. The housing surrounds at least a part of the cartridge. The head is connected to the housing and includes an actuator and a valve. The valve engages the cartridge when the actuator is actuated in order to release gas out of the cartridge. The horn is removably connected to the head. When the horn is not connected to the head, the animal behavioral control apparatus ejects a blast of gas when the actuator is actuated. And when the horn is connected to the head, the animal behavioral control apparatus emits a sound when the actuator is actuated.

Abstract: Plant for the continuous casting of thick slabs, blooms or other similar steel products comprising an ingot mold and a series of containment and guiding rollers placed in the area below the ingot mold on both sides of the cast product, i.e. on the intrados and extrados, respectively. The rollers are arranged on at least three longitudinal rows and all have an axial length shorter that the width of the cast product. The rollers of a central longitudinal row are advantageously staggered with respect to the lateral longitudinal row rollers in such a way as to reduce the surface of the bulges created due to the ferrostatic pressure existing in the liquid core of the product at ingot mold outlet. Furthermore, the pitch between the adjacent rollers is advantageously always of different values so as to not cause the buckling of the bulges with a single frequency.

Abstract: In a Friction Stir Welding process a load, applied through a rotating tool, frictionally heats, plasticizes and commingles selected regions of the workpieces while translating along the length of the joint. The load is supported by an anvil. The applied load inhibits relative motion of the workpiece and conventional anvils due to friction which requires application of higher translation forces and could lead to undesired surface blemishes. Thus conventional practice is to employ bulky, stationary anvils. Compact, moveable anvils comprising freely-rotating or freely moving elements in contact with the workpieces and capable of reducing workpiece-anvil friction are described. Particular benefits of this anvil design are illustrated for the process of assembling inner and outer sheet metal components into an automobile assembly, a portion of which is visible to a vehicle customer.

Abstract: One or more of the following quenching methods and apparatus: a quenching press for quenching a steel ring, a method of quenching a steel ring, a corresponding set of quenching dies for quenching steel rings, a die handling tool and related method to lift the corresponding set of quenching dies, and a die handling apparatus to load and unload dies to a quenching press.

Abstract: Metal powder (such as tin, titanium, or tungsten powder) is heated in a flowing stream of an inert gas, such as argon, containing a small abundance of oxygen at a temperature to produce metal vapor. The metal reacts with the oxygen to form and deposit one-dimensional nanostructures of oxygen-containing metal on the metal powder (in the case of Ti and W) or on a suitable nearby substrate in the case of the lower melting tin. The metal oxides are not necessarily stoichiometric compounds. Water may be introduced into the flowing inert gas to increase or control the oxygen content. Sulfur vapor or a carbon source may be introduced to dope the nanostructures with sulfur or carbon. Reaction conditions may be modified to vary the shapes of the one-dimensional nanostructures.

Abstract: The invention concerns a camera system, especially a camera system in a camera-based analysis system and/or assistance system of a vehicle, comprising a camera with an optical beam path (12), which has at least one optical element to guide image information to a light-sensitive image sensor (14). At least one test beam (22) can be coupled into a transparent test element (30) arranged on the input side in front of beam path (12) and, depending on a degree of soiling of the test element (30), at least one partial beam (24) indicating soiling can be directed from the test element (30) onto a sensor (14a) to receive the partial beam (24) indicating soiling.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a frictional damping insert including a body constructed and arranged to be incorporated into a product and to form at least a portion of a frictional damping structure, the body including lines of weakness constructed and arranged to segment the body into separate sections upon exposure to a molten material.

Abstract: The invention presents method and apparatus for forming of large thin panels and similar parts having integral stiffeners at one side of a board. The method includes progressive forming of preheated billets into sculptured dies of corresponding length and width by a forging die of substantially identical width and short length with slightly inclined and flat forging surfaces providing a smoothly convergent working zone, and a periodical transfer of the sculptured die into the working zone between successive strokes of the forging die. Control of the material flow is performed by selection of a ratio of the working zone length to the billet thickness, variable contact friction at both dies and application of additional compressive forces to the billet at ends of the working zone. For semi-continuous processing of very long parts, the sculptured die is composed by plurality of sectioned elements.

Abstract: A process for producing lower alkyl esters of higher fatty acids from an oil phase and lower alcohols, in a catalytic transesterification process in the presence of an alkaline catalyst. A reaction mixture is provided by mixing oil-phase fatty acids with a solution comprising methanol and an alkaline catalyst comprising sodium methylate. The transesterification reaction of the reaction mixture is accelerated by subjecting the reaction mixture to a temperature above the boiling point of methanol and pressurizing the reaction mixture sufficiently to prevent boil-off. A centrifugal separator separates glycerin phase from biodiesel phase of a resulting reaction product stream. The biodiesel phase is washed by counter-current extraction.

Abstract: A lighting device with at least one lighting unit for vehicles, preferably motor vehicles. The lighting device comprises at least one illuminant unit with one circuit board, and with at least one illuminant attached to the circuit board, connected to the conductive paths of the circuit board through contacts. The illuminant is positioned at the front face of the circuit board in order to configure the lighting device so that it can be manufactured simply and economically in a particularly flat configuration and in any curved shape. The lighting device is advantageously used in vehicles, preferably in motor vehicles.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a self-ligating orthodontic bracket apparatus has a body with an archwire slot, a lingual surface for mounting to a tooth and a guide track. The body and guide track form facing surfaces. A clip is engaged between the facing surfaces and is slideably movable in the guide track between an open position such that the archwire slot can receive an archwire and a closed position in which the clip can retain the archwire in the slot. The clip is dimensioned to extend the entire length and height of the slot in the bracket when in the closed position.

Abstract: An electric actuator motor drives an actuator leg between inner and outer limits of an actuator stroke relative to an actuator base. A controller detects when the actuator leg is at one of the inner and outer stroke limits by monitoring and comparing actuator motor power draw to known actuator motor power draw values associated with the operation of an electric actuator when its leg has reached an actuator leg stroke limit. A position sensor senses changes in the position of a monitored actuator component and provides corresponding signals to the controller. The controller calculates the position of the monitored actuator component relative to the position that the monitored actuator component was in when the actuator leg was in a predetermined home position. The controller recognizes and records the concurrent position of the monitored actuator component as indicating that the actuator leg is in the home position whenever the leg reaches a stroke limit.

Abstract: Titanium oxide (usually titanium dioxide) catalyst support particles are doped for electronic conductivity and formed with surface area-enhancing pores for use, for example, in electro-catalyzed electrodes on proton exchange membrane electrodes in hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells. Suitable compounds of titanium and a dopant are dispersed with pore-forming particles in a liquid medium. The compounds are deposited as a precipitate or sol on the pore-forming particles and heated to transform the deposit into crystals of dopant-containing titanium dioxide. If the heating has not decomposed the pore-forming particles, they are chemically removed from the, now pore-enhanced, the titanium dioxide particles.